


Bloody Roses

by APHTrashbin (verfens)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Character Turned Into Vampire, F/M, Hypnosis, Hypnotism, M/M, Mind Control, Reincarnation, Supernatural Elements, Vampire America, Vampire France, Vampires, Violence applies to minor characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-04-20 06:00:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 53,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4776281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verfens/pseuds/APHTrashbin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alfred F. Jones is a man who was destined to die a long time ago, and to fill his excessive free time, he works at a hospital.  Well, its mostly for a different reason- to give him sustenance for his immortal existence.  This is because Alfred F. Jones, a man born in 1620's Massachusetts, had been transformed into a vampire shortly after his 19th birthday.  In the modern era, not quite yet 400 years after his "death", his path collides with Arthur Kirkland, a human of 24 years of age and a law enforcer.  And who is Alfred to not indulge his sexual tastes in human men?</p><p>However, love between a human and a vampire is taboo-and as Francis had told him many years before, something always goes wrong when they love one another.  And, as time wears on, Alfred becomes uncertain if his affection for Arthur are truly lustful anymore- and if they aren't, what can the vampire do to prevent the tragedy meant to follow?</p><p>(USUK, sex scenes, and alfred is definitely more along the lines of a traditional vampire and so death + violence ensues)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Vampire Alfred F. Jones

**Author's Note:**

> Based off an RP w/ someone who didn't have an AO3 Account!!

What even was life at this point? He continually heard people saying that the beating of a heart was what symbolized life, and yet, he personally knew so many cases of a lifeless existence with that ticking time bomb in one's chest. Just as well, there were many cases of those who lacked the necessary quality in the eyes of medical science, who- if they were put on a table and treated by doctors, would have their death certificates announced even while they were still very much alive and present. In the end, he couldn't quite say that a heartbeat defined life- it certainly didn't define his own, that was perhaps the only certain item in his life.

Perhaps he shouldn't try to have all that much of an existential crisis- he would be playing into all the right stereotypes for a creature of his nature when he started having "brooding" thoughts questioning the meaning of his continued existence, if he didn't simply refer to it as his continued life. Much as prescribed in the novel of the Picture of Dorian Grey, humans were always so much more  _accepting_  of a monster in man's clothes if it looked angelic and kind- rather than one who played into what women sexually desired in entirely fictional situations.

And he was stalling, wasn't he? His name was Alfred F. Jones- and he was currently  _employed_  as a volunteering assistant in a hospital, doing whatever work was needed in the surplus of spare time he had available to him. It truly wasn't much, but he felt compelled to do something with himself on top of meeting his basic needs in order to sustain himself, as he currently existed. He had plenty of time as well- a boast that no human could ever attest to- and he had claimed as such for many, many centuries.

And that was because Alfred F. Jones had been turned into a vampire a several hundred years- even before the Seven Years War had come along to change the path of the country he was so attached to, as he had been born and raised in Colonial America- specifically, the vampire had been born human in Puritanical Massachusetts at the Plymouth colony, in the year 1620- and transformed into this beast shortly after his 19th birthday in late July, 1639.

Being a vampire of and for his beloved America, Alfred had gone to war after war in the name of the Stars and Stripes since the beginning of his existence- from the French and Indian war, to the Revolution, all the way to World War Two, and Vietnam.

However, since Alfred wasn't that big of a fan of going to war for his country any longer- he had since needed to find a new source of sustenance for his vampiric tendencies.

War was traditionally a very good way to find people to drink from, and it had been his most common choice of… _dining_  since he was turned into this beast. The only reason he had stopped was because even though he was getting to be rather old and he was still only growing in power, he wasn't yet immune to the sunlit desert of the Middle East where his country had found itself quagmire in. In short words, if he went there, the only thing that would likely happen would be his burning from the sun and bursting into flames, before death finally came to the near-immortal man.

Hence, why Alfred was here, stealing a  _bite_  to eat from patients every now and again.

And so, with his "vintage" bomber jacket (he claimed belonged to his grandfather, but it was a remnant of his life during the second world war) and his dog tags sitting on his neck (if humans looked close enough, they would see the date on them to be 1973, not any time in the 2000's) Alfred simply got back to work, hiding his fanged smile behind tight lips, his need to feed causing his more monstrous traits to appear more readily if he didn't consciously think about hiding them from the unsuspecting human population.

And in the grand design of the universe, which clicked and steamed along despite how humans sought to change it- yet another person had become fated to meet the mysterious Alfred F. Jones.

Arthur  _hated_  hospitals. The sterile smell that hung in the air, the stale aroma of the hospital food, and a disconcerting atmosphere that screamed  _disease_  and  _death_  despite the fact of the hospital's purpose being to heal the sick and the injured.

As it was, the man- for all of his complaints- was  _forced_  to remain in the stretcher that they had wheeled him into the deathtrap on, the straps across his chest ensuring that he obeyed that order despite how unhappy he was with his current arrangement. They had only strapped him down  _after_  Arthur had tried to run, the fucking bastards. Of  _course_  he wanted to run- he just wanted to go home. It made perfect sense.

However, now that he was here, he needed to escape. His green eyes scrolled about, taking in his surroundings while he ignored the thumping of his head the best he could- a task that was simply becoming more and more difficult despite Arthur's internalized belief that he was  _just fine, thank you very much_.

The man, Arthur Kirkland, was a police officer and he had entered a conflict with a juvenile that was far too aggressive for his liking earlier that day. After an exchange of some choice words the young man lunged for him and from there on it was a flurry of fists and shots of adrenaline, and Arthur ended up here while the teen had managed to give him and his useless partner the slip  _because_  his partner had been "Worried" about Arthur.

In his once over of the room, Arthur noticed a man wearing a strange jacket immediately, as it was extremely out of place in a hospital, and he quickly whistled to the fellow wearing it. "Oi, lad. Do a man a favor and unbuckle me, I'm fine. There are awfully pushy nurses here."

He heard the human calling for him, and his nose inhaled deeply to scent out the human. He had dried blood on his form, both his own and another's who was not here with him. And Alfred was rather curious as to why the human was whistling to him as though he was some sort of dog- though he didn't yet take offense at the sound.

"Yes, they always are  _rather_  forceful, aren't they?" Alfred asked rhetorically in order to agree with him, smiling enigmatically at the man as the vampire turned around to see him better. "And I am terribly sorry to say this- but I cannot unbuckle you, sir." The vampire walked over to him, essentially perched on the edge of his bed. "I am no doctor, but I  _am_  a volunteer at this place, and I don't particularly want to get in trouble with them for letting you go." He sighed. "Although, I would loathe being in your position- in the literal sense. You might say I am metaphorically in your spot." He grinned, his fangs hidden for the moment- though he absently imagined that his canines probably looked a bit sharper than they should, but he also found it hard to care. "What I mean is, my hands are tied- it's a joke."

Upon hearing that his freedom was not guaranteed with this young man, Arthur's natural stern and unimpressed expression returned, and his lips formed into a slight pout. However, his attention was snatched away by the sheer looks of the man, and he found himself staring at this unnaturally beautiful being before him even as he attempted to maintain his look of contempt that was only appropriate for the situation he was currently in…but…

The man's eyes were a shade of blue so bright they looked as though they glowed. His skin was firmly muscled and clear of imperfections, and overall reminded Arthur more of marble statues of ancient Gods than any man walking around on this Earth today. "Why are you in here?" The God that stood before him asked in interest, breaking the silence that had descended upon them.

Arthur hadn't been incredibly focused on his words, more so the glowing eyes and his impeccable features. In comparison to  _him_ , Arthur's messy sandy hair and dark green eyes were a joke. Realizing with sudden and furious embarrassment that he had been asked a question and  _hadn't answered_ due to his inappropriate  _staring_ \- Arthur cleared his throat and averted his gaze away from the incredibly handsome man. His hands went to nervously fiddle with his tie but found the restrictive buckles stopped any movement- and his ire quickly grew back enough to give him his voice once more.

"I  _was_  in the middle of arresting a hooligan when the bastard got me over the head." Arthur began with mild irritation, reclining his head back down on the stretcher. "Got knocked to the ground, and hit my head hard on the curb." He tilted his head to show a patch of blood staining his blonde hair. "Of course there is a bruise or two, but nothing so terrible it is worth being hospitalized for.  _Surely_ \- you can let me slip through?"

"I highly  _doubt_  that would be appropriate." Alfred sighed, pretending to feel sorry for the human, leaning in to get a better look at him. The vampire had to admit- he had a rather consistent  _thing_  for blonde men with green eyes, and the human clearly seemed enchanted with Alfred's own looks- but that wasn't all that of an uncommon occurrence with those like Alfred, and it was  _certainly_  more commonplace than Alfred finding himself this taken with a  _human_. He usually kept his sexual encounters to other vampires, whenever he happened upon them, though he was known to take the occasional human partner as well. It often went hand in hand with him drinking from them.

"Is your tie too tight?" Alfred flirted lightly with the human, leaning in a bit closer to the man's face sexily. "This is my job, after all... to help patients." He breathed a bit onto his face, ghosting his warm skin subtly. Though it was true that the motion wasn't actually necessary. But, humans  _did_  seem to find it freaky when he didn't breathe. And through years of experience, he had found that it was far better for them to assume he was human like them. Human's feeble minds didn't handle much the concept of there being superior beings to themselves- and so would, panic, flee, or kill the vampire in question. In olden times they had good reason to do it, but as the world turned to the 20th and 21st century…there wasn't really a need to kill the vampires anymore, since they were so few and far between.

When the distance between them both began to shrink, Arthur's expression tightened and he watched Alfred carefully. His eyes widened slightly when it became too small and he squirmed a little, soon nodding. "Yes, but it's something I can ignore until I'm free to go." He said after swallowing thickly. The volunteer was certainly a strange man, but he had to expect it with him being so attractive. There had to be a catch to the handsome people of the world- to make it fair to everyone else. There always was something more to people who looked that good, and it could be that Alfred was simply a bit creepy.

The vampire pulled away quickly, smiling at him a bit more tamely, seeing as his oppressive flirtation wasn't getting him anywhere with the human. "What's your name, Mr. Officer?" He asked with more mild sexual implications in his current look than the one he had been donning before. "And, I  _assume_  if they didn't let you walk after the accident, they have reasonable cause to keep you here."

The police officer had to swallow again, much to his distaste, before he found his voice again. "Arthur Kirkland." He mumbled, and managed to establish eye contact again. At least there were  _some_  benefits to the hospital. Arthur snorted at the question, and tried to make it seem like it was nothing for show. "I lost my balance once and they went mental."

That was the abridged version, at least. Arthur, following his altercation with the violent youth- had lost consciousness when his head struck the ground for a few moments, only for him to come to and try and chase down the offender. That brief debacle resulted in him falling against a fence, and his partner calling an ambulance. An idea struck Arthur. "Couldn't  _you_  treat me so I could be on my way?"

Alfred laughed, this time good-naturedly. "Of course not. I have not a single bit of medical knowledge." He admitted freely, and even though he extremely doubted the human's story, he didn't have all that great knowledge of how to treat concussions or other brain injuries.

But, as it stood, he had a rather firsthand, and  _intimate_  knowledge of the human's cardiovascular system, and Arthur's had strange blood flow in his cranial cavity, but he wasn't going to mention that to him since he had no basis for it, at least, not yet, as it required medical information to know that- medical information which Alfred most certainly should lack.

His focus on the humans  _food-filled_  cardiovascular system left the vampire a bit dazed for a moment, feeling the pounding lifeblood in the body of the unassuming human and feeling his own hunger biting at the nib inside of him, pressuring Alfred to take as he pleased from the human. He was hungry, and Arthur was food. Just a moment longer, he reminded himself. Good things come to those who wait.

"Concussions are nothing to scoff at." The vampire said slowly with a tight-lipped smile, his fangs harder to hide as his hunger gnawed at his insides, burning up his humanity, morals, only suppressed with Alfred's own sureness that it would be easier to get away with it if he waited only a little while longer- there would be time to eat later, a time where it would be less suspect for him to do so. "There is…a  _lot_  of damage that you cannot necessarily see, and that can be dangerous." He said, holding up his tags and shaking them. "After all, why do you think I'm working here now, Officer Kirkland?" He asked, letting the man assume from his muscular build and military get up what he was trying to imply.

Most people seemed to understand that he was alluding to having served in the military. It wasn't an inherently  _wrong_  assumption, and it was no more untruthful than his claim that his past service was why he was serving here. They usually assumed it was because of his "guilt" or something along those lines, and that he had served in Iraq or Afghanistan, where there was an unusual amount of soldiers winding up in hospitals with brain injuries. The vampire hadn't served since Vietnam's end- and he felt little to no guilt over wars and killing humans any longer.

"Blast." Arthur grumbled, and went to fold his arms in his usual, displeased manner (An unfortunate habit that made him look like a pouting child more often than not), but remembered with irritation that he was restrained when he attempted the motion. That elicited a growl of frustration, and he purposely smacked his head against the headrest in protest.

 _Yes_ , he had to close his eyes for a second and  _yes_ , the thumping of his head only worsened, but it made him feel a little better - mentally, anyway. He heard the jingle of the dog tags and he looked over them carefully. "Oh... I see." He said after a while, and cast his gaze downwards. Arthur muttered an apology, only to remember another thing. "Do pardon my rudeness, I never asked for your name." He replied, and looked up to Alfred.

"It's Alfred F. Jones." He said calmly, shrugging, his eyes shifting to look at the higher ups approaching the man and smirking a bit the expression strangely tight-lipped. "Doctors look like they're coming over to examine you, I'll run off and get you a pillow, Officer Kirkland, since you seem  _so_  incredibly adamant on making your head injury worse." The vampire waved a bit, walking off to go grab him a pillow and wait for the doctors examination to be over, sitting on an empty intake bed in the ER by where Arthur was being looked at by the staff.

Arthur scowled at the remark and muttered a goodbye to the jovial man. Smug lad he was, but it was nice to have that relief from the pain. He did the polite thing and greeted the doctor, albeit in a grumpy tone, and waited for him to do all his little procedures. The doctor made jokes about the restraints, which weren't welcomed by the officer, and he simply grunted or remained silent during every comment.

After grabbing his pillow, Alfred leaned back on the bed, watching the affair with the doctors and their unruly, unhappy patient. From here, he could smell every single one of the people in the ER's facility. Arthur's wasn't the strongest scent right now, no, but he stood out well enough since Alfred had placed a partly metaphorical, partly literal target on the human's back. And that was what kept Alfred's senses sharply on the human he desired.

Until such a point that he could feed, Alfred had to block out the smell of the young woman three beds over who was bleeding from multiple stab wounds, maintaining his composure rather well. However, the smell of blood did remind the creature that he thirsted for blood- and also that he was faced with an abundance of options here.

However, he just had picked one that he liked- and that was Arthur. The human was a very good choice for feeding from the start- a head injury was so incredibly  _easy_  to take advantage of, since when Alfred erased their memory of the incident, their memory loss went hand in hand with the fact they had brain damage and could potentially  _have_  memory trouble.

The diagnosis was exactly what he had expected of a fall like the one this afternoon, and after a little treatment to the small wound, he attempted to be on his way. However, he was stopped when it was known he didn't have someone at home to wake him every few hours to ensure he wouldn't fall into a coma.

"You'll just stay here for tonight, for safety's sake." The doctor said firmly, and Arthur sighed. He was taken from the ER, and was brought to reception to be relocated to another wing of the hospital.

Alfred followed him, talking kindly to the nurse- who was an older woman that clearly had a crush on the vampire. They conversed over Arthur, and brought him to the back end of the hospital, it felt like from all the walking and pushing of his confinement of a stretcher.

However, Arthur had no idea who was following them, only able to look up and to each side, his head against the stretcher.

The curious nature of his gaze disappeared when he recognized the man coming up beside him, and he raised an eyebrow as the door shut behind them, the nurse taking her leave.

"Well, alone at last." Alfred laughed as the nurse left the vampire to the task of moving the man into his hospital bed. "Now that they've looked at you, please don't run off on me, since you have permission to be unrestrained, but if you try to leave, you'll need to be restrained once again." He informed him duly, unbuckling his restraints before he gestured to the bed, trying to gauge if Arthur wanted or, perhaps more accurately,  _needed_  his help.

"If I knew any better, I'd swear you  _want_  me to be stuck in this hellhole." Arthur replied to the spiel, and took joy in being able to stretch out his limbs. He reached his hands high into the air and inflated his chest, soon making a satisfied noise.

"If you need help, don't be afraid to ask me, I'm stronger than I appear." The vampire reminded with a wink. It was extremely amusing to the vampire to continuously tell humans precisely what he was with direct hints, but never actually say it. Even if he did, he doubted any human today would believe him.

Arthur was a little startled by the wink, he again looked away and became fixated with the window. "Well, I'll definitely let you know. Despite me being a rat bag, they gave me someone nice to tend to me. It's certainly odd."

The man was hooked up to a heart monitor, and Alfred's own senses were matched by the screen, the sound of the beeping subtly annoying since he could hear just fine the pounding of his heart inside the human. "And, as you know, be sure to actually eat and drink, or we'll force you to be hooked up to a IV." He informed him as he finished getting everything settled for the man.

Arthur rolled his eyes as the lecture continued, and he folded his arms across his torso. "What am I, a child? I  _understand_ , Jones."

"Then get up and switch from the stretcher to the bed." Alfred quipped with a smirk. "The nurses would be rather glad to have it back after all." And, Alfred laughed to himself in quiet amusement. He  _did_  want him stuck in this place- more than Arthur could possibly know. He discreetly licked his lips at the smell of Arthur's continued bleeding, his blood becoming more tempting to him than before, especially because  _now_ , they were alone. The danger of getting caught had decreased until it was almost not a risk at all.

But, for the moment, Alfred waited patiently. Patience was his game, after all- it was why he had lasted so long from the time he had been 19 and a Frenchmen shot a hole through his chest, and then drank his blood and had sex with his dying body, not quite 400 years ago now.

Being turned was an incredibly strange experience, but Alfred wasn't complaining any longer. He had seen more than he had ever thought he would, growing up as he did in a Puritan colony- plus, he didn't see Francis that often anymore if he saw the man at all. "As for your comment about my attending you- I don't think it's odd at all. It's not as though they assign me to people, I go and help patients as I choose here."

Growling loudly, Arthur hopped off the stretcher in a quick movement, but found himself reaching a hand out to the wall to steady himself after such a sudden change in his position. With some quiet cuss words, he removed his hand and walked in a somewhat straight line to the bend and clambered in.

Perhaps he  _was_  underestimating his concussion a little.

Arthur reluctantly sat up though, once he remembered his uniform, and he at the very least wanted to remove the hot and stuffy shirt. With careful movements, he loosened his tie and removed it from his neck, and clumsily unbuttoned the long sleeved shirt. Once he finished the task, he hung it up on the bed frame and remained in his singlet and trousers.

Arthur was toned and there was underlying muscle, but wasn't nearly as defined as Alfred was. "Oh, so you personally just  _want_  to stay with the grumpy cop? I'm touched." Arthur teased, and swung his legs up onto the bed and from there, under the sheets.

Alfred shrugged, pulling the sheets up over his chest and patting his shoulder. "Hmm…Perhaps." He replied, enjoying the show of Arthur's physique. His human stink was  _almost_  worth ignoring for the time being, but not quite. Most humans smelt of things other than blood- sweat and the like, and in all honesty, he even smelled when people didn't wipe as well as they should- an unpleasant experience that wasn't quite like any other. Even without smelling  _that_ , humans stunk it up. It was like being around cows all the time- except, he didn't have to clean up manure no matter how terribly it smelled, and he would be condemned if he ate one in public. And it only smelled this bad when he was this hungry- so he really should just get on with it and stop playing with his food.

"Perhaps I'm expecting something out of it." The vampire teased right on back, unabashedly honest with the man once more, though he knew that Arthur was going to completely miss the hint Alfred was actually dropping for him again. Though, if his human prey took well to the idea of sex- the other option that Alfred was hinting- Alfred wouldn't be one to argue with him. Particularly since the human was rather attractive, and Alfred had a continued attraction to blondes with green eyes, and his attraction to this particular one had only increased upon seeing his finely muscled build.

The comforting feeling of new, clean sheets was probably the only benefit of the hospital, and Arthur shifted about until he was comfortable under their warmth.

Despite being someone who always had the last say, Alfred wasn't that bad. He was young and thought he was invincible - so it was typical behavior. The police officer was only 24 himself, but did act beyond his years. Arthur chuckled lightly, and watched the man carefully. He couldn't help but take in his blessed appearance, and cursed his own misfortune. "I hope I can help meet those expectations." He replied, sending him a slight smile before he closed his eyes and relaxed. Having some banter with a chiseled human being and not scaring him away was a godsend. Arthur couldn't believe his luck, and by the way he was acting, Alfred seemed to swing his way as well.

Alfred nodded, smiling at him, and as Arthur's eyes closed altogether, the vampire let his full fanged grin show, his fangs poking out over his bottom lips. "Oh, I'm  _certain_  you will." He murmured, walking over to where Arthur was looking about ready to sleep, and enhancing the enchanting qualities about his own blue eyes.

He had long since learned how to hypnotize his victims, and it was  _especially_  easy when they were already attracted to him. Hopefully, Arthur wouldn't even notice his long canines sticking out of his mouth before Alfred had him entranced enough to no longer care about them.

The quite reply coaxed out another smile, but this one was smaller and weary. Arthur was exhausted from his day's work and all the nonsense of the hospital, but felt rude to fall into a slumber when someone had taken the time to care for him.

"How long have you been volunteering here?" He mumbled, but his eyes remained shut. It was clear that he didn't have the energy to continue the conversation, but wanted to continue for manners' sake. After all, he did want Alfred to come back and care for him again.

"A few years, I'd suppose." Alfred answered easily, floating above where the man was laying on his bed, not even breathing as he waited for the man to look at him, to slip up and fall under Alfred's control. "Ah, just one more thing before you sleep, and I'll stop bothering you." He said, trying to coax Arthur into looking at him. "What's your blood type?" He asked, smiling at him, staring deep into him with his eyes glowing bright blue with a hint of red in his pupils, his fangs long and menacing, his face still beautiful but an equally terrifying to look at.

Arthur nodded mindlessly at the response, and turned his head to the side to settle himself into the pillow. "You're barely bothering me." The sound of Alfred's voice was closer now, and his eyes fluttered tiredly to locate the man in the room.

It was surprisingly easy to find him, as the first thing he saw was the hues of his eyes. Something was alluring about them, but by his quickened heart race and his panicked mind, he didn't think that their beauty was harmless. But, in spite of his instinctual panic response, he found himself saying without even the slightest tremble in his tone, "My blood type is O." Arthur couldn't look away, and the panic was starting to be drowned out by the unnatural beauty of Alfred's features, and how that glow was something that he couldn't miss; terrifyingly gorgeous.

Alfred stared into him, seeming to bore directly into his soul. Panic wasn't something that stayed with his human prey for that long of a time after the initial reveal- no. They were typically easily calmed by his gentle- if strangely cold- touch. His hand went to cup Arthur's face, smiling at him with his long fangs still poking out, dragging seductively against his lips.

The touch made all other thoughts dissipate, and all that was left was Alfred. His whole being and attention was fixed upon the exceedingly handsome supernatural being, and his mind began to dismiss all the things that were red flags- like the red tinge of his pupils, the elongated teeth and his choice of words.

"Oh, don't fret about these…fangs, my little, sweet pet." He purred, making sure that they didn't break eye contact as he kissed his hand, his fangs out and nipping the skin a bit. "Just…  _Sleep, All Is Well_." His last words were the phrase that he used to signal to the weak human mind that they were  _his_  now, and they needed to obey their master.

Goosebumps blossomed along his arms at such a faint touch of the sharp fangs, but it didn't stop him from looking back at Alfred, before something was changed inside of him, his defenses dropping entirely with a small, sleepy smile. "All is well." Arthur found himself repeating, and his fair lashes began to droop and seal his eyes shut. He still could feel the coldness of the other's touch; it wasn't foreign, but relaxing, and he made no movement to remove the physical contact.

Alfred easily caught the human before he fell back against the bed, and ran his fingertips along the man's soft cheeks. "My, my. You  _are_  a handsome one, aren't you?" He murmured to himself since the human was completely under his control and essentially dead to the world. Though he figured the human might hear him, it would not be the same as though he was saying this to a fully conscious human.

Rightly so, the state of mind Arthur entered into was a semi awareness of what was happening, but wasn't awake enough to have any control over his body. All his limbs hung limp in Alfred's grip, and his head had lolled back when his body became completely submissive to Alfred's cause. It was flattering to hear such a comment, and his mind obsessed over the fact that this man had complimented him, his underling- him, a worthless human. Alfred had complimented him.

However, as Alfred did have a job to do, and he gave the man one more a heated once over before he leaned into the crook of the man's neck, and pressed his lips to his skin, and bit into his artery. He sucked with desperation at the wound, eager to feast upon this human. He wouldn't suck him dry, of course not. The human seemed nice enough, and perhaps would be a source of continued amusement at another time- preferably of the sexual sort. And, Alfred always appreciated it later when Hungry Alfred didn't kill humans.

When the piercing sensation began, Arthur sucked in a sharp breath and his body tightened at the intrusion. Alarms were going off that he was losing blood- that there was an injury on his neck besides the one on his head, but instead of panic there was pleasure. He couldn't feel any pain, but a rushing adrenaline as he was stripped of his blood and…something else. Finally some feeling came back to his hands and he gripped onto Alfred for support, and released a low moan of delight.

He pulled his fangs out of the man, and licked the wound, shutting the holes in the artery altogether. However, the bite mark was harder to get rid of, since for whatever reason, the fluid in his mouth didn't shut those holes. The human had likely enjoyed it- his venom was a wondrously pleasant thing; Alfred had come to know over years of feeding.

It ended too quickly for his liking, and he made a disappointed noise once they separated once more. But, he did feel giddy in the best sense, high on some pleasure that was unfamiliar but addictive.

"There, there, pet." Alfred suddenly felt the man's tight grip on him, and he cradled the man a bit better, withdrawing his fangs in order to give a quick kiss to his pet's soft, slightly opened lips. "I cannot suck you dry...that wouldn't be a fair game, now would it? It wouldn't be fun for either of us if you died." He purred, stroking the man's hair as he sat on the bed, moving Arthur so that he was on his lap.

Arthur was startled at the kiss, but numbly responded with a quick peck back. "No, I want to be in Master's company longer." Arthur replied, and he shifted himself so that he was comfortable in Alfred's lap. He couldn't resist the urge to lean into the touch in his hair, reveling in the affectionate action.

"But it's so good, isn't it? Master will treat you well." With that, he closed the distance between them altogether, kissing Arthur forcefully and passionately, his lips and tongue still tasting of Arthur's blood and remnants of his venom that was left in his saliva.

With no chance to find his words, Arthur melted into the kiss, tasting that venom that had him hooked. His hands moved up to grip at Alfred's shoulders to remain anchored to him, and he eagerly pressed into his lips, wanting more of that taste.

Alfred smiled into the kiss, more than willing to treat his pet to his kisses if he wanted him in such a way. The hand gripping his hair and scratching his head, praising him as he pulled away from him, holding Arthur close to his chest to a moment longer. The faint coldness that was distinctly emitting from Alfred caused the officer to shiver slightly at being held so close to the icy skin, but he didn't move away. This was what characterized Alfred, and he added it to the list of things that made him want to remain loyally  _his_.

"Now, in a moment, you're going to awaken from this trance." He said as he set Arthur down on the bed again, and stepped away. "You will consciously remember  _nothing_  that happened while you were in trance, but you'll know, deep down inside, that your mind, body and soul belong to Master Alfred now. Do you obey?" He asked for confirmation, waiting to awaken the man who had dived right into his control until the man agreed to his terms.

Arthur looked puzzled as they were separated, but listened to the instructions that were laid out to him. He was about to protest, but the last lines sedated him; so long as he would have a part of him that remembered his Master, he could abide by this. "Yes, I obey, Master." He said, docile and pliant to Alfred's desires, and looked to his master for further guidance.

"Now, wake up." Alfred clapped his hands, and released Arthur from his control altogether. "You heard me! It's time to make sure that you're not in a coma!" He said, smiling brightly at Arthur, his fangs well hidden now that his hunger had been satisfied for the moment. "What's the day today?" Alfred looked just human now, and Arthur thought he was still bogglingly handsome, but it was impossible to remember why he would have been anything but human anyway.

The human blinked suddenly at the loud sound, and was left looking dazed on the bed, staring in confusion at Alfred. Once everything began to settle and his mind adjusted, he growled and he ran a hand through his hair aggressively. "Thank you for waking me up, like I wasn't enjoying my sleep." He muttered bitterly, and sighed loudly as he tried to answer Alfred's question. "Blast, I have no clue." He admitted as he ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture, jerking in pain when it touched his bruised spot. Arthur went to look at his watch, only to find it had been shattered from the fall. "Maybe a Wednesday? It has to be a weekday for me to be working." He muttered, trying to remember but being entirely unable to do so.

"Sorry for waking you up, but its Monday, about to be Tuesday when the clock strikes midnight." Alfred disagreed. "Not that a  _watch_  would have told you the date anyway- I think you need the doctors to come examine you again, Officer Kirkland." He pointed out with a level tone. "What's my name?" The man asked, pointing at himself with a pleasant voice, as he pressed the call button for a doctor to come see the patient, humming softly and waiting for a response from the concussed officer. "Don't be shy, if you don't remember just tell me."

Arthur tsked at his own lack of awareness, and went to lay himself back down against the pillow. "That's a trick question, it could be Monday or Tuesday since it's the middle of the night. I think that you did that on purpose." He retorted as he muttered angrily, but listened to the next question. "Alfred Jones, of course." Arthur said with ease, not questioning why it was such an easy question for him to answer. Arthur stared at the other and his actions, and noticed the light above the button that signaled a doctor would be with them in a second. "No. No bloody way." He began, and started to scramble to get up. "I'm not seeing another one!"

Alfred walked over to him, and instructed him to lie back down. "Arthur, you first answered "Wednesday"." The vampire pointed out with a falsely exaggerated sigh. "Uhm...hm. Why are you here, as in, in the hospital?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him suspiciously as he waited with him, aiming to keep him preoccupied until an actual medical professional showed up. Arthur's brain seemed to be bleeding, Alfred noted, only able to tell by seeing his bloodstream inside of him. It was actually likely a good thing that Alfred had drank from him- Arthur's brain had stopped swelling for the time being.

Arthur shot daggers at Alfred as he came over and blocked his way out. Yes, he was a stunner but he was certainly irritating. There was his catch; too dedicated to his job, this one was. "Because some prick took a cheap shot and I ended up on the floor!" He grumbled, and was about to spurt some verbal abuse when he saw another man appear. At that point, he acknowledged that this meant he was going nowhere, and he folded his arms and sat back down, frustration on his face. "You make it seem like a sin I want to go home."

"I don't think it's a sin." Alfred responded easily as he moved out of the way for the doctor. "No, I would just imagine you would want to live, and brain trauma is no laughing matter." He told the doctor that Arthur had been acting strangely and answering basic memory questions incorrectly.

The doctor agreed that perhaps the officer needed an MRI, and did some tests to judge his symptoms. The doctor immediately sprung into action when he noticed the lower blood pressure- since the professional thought it meant his patient was bleeding internally. "Sir, we might need to go into surgery." He said instantly to the man. "You seem to have a bleed- you could very well die from this if you don't get it treated and it is a bleed."

The man's already fair skin began to lose color at being told about his dire circumstances. " _Die_?" He echoed, and let that phrase sink in for a moment. So his recklessness did come back to bite him in the backside, and Alfred was right in the end. His teeth ground against each other at knowing Alfred was right, but he quickly bypassed his upset when he remembered the word  _surgery_. "Surgery, that seems rash. I barely clipped the gutter!" Arthur protested, and gently pressed his fingers against the wound.

"It's not the scraping that injured your brain. Rather, you hit your head with such a force that your hit the inside of your skull and damaged it so that it started bleeding somewhere." The doctor informed him, calling a nurse to come get Arthur prepped for more tests to see what the damage was.

After a moment of silence, Arthur sighed, capitulating. "Fine...Let's make this quick."

And so, the doctor hooked him up to an IV, and then a bunch of nurses started to take him off, Arthur getting dragged off for an MRI screening to find out where the damage was.

Alfred, once the room was vacated, used his invisibility to follow his pet around, planning on ensuring his human didn't die. The MRI revealed the extent of the damage in his brain, and Arthur was carted off to yet another room, where they would count down with him until the general kicked in, and he would be out.

Arthur strongly disliked not having control over his body or a situation. That was one of the sole reasons he became a police officer; they were the regulators of the law and generally directed how it would span out. So to be carted here and there without so much as some notice was frustrating and frightening at the same time. The short notice that he would be unconscious wasn't enough for him to gather his thoughts, but by then the sedative took its course.

The surgery was fast, and thankfully it was not complicated. They knew precisely where the damage was, and were able to sew it back up, and from then, they had to pray that they hadn't been too invasive. If they had, Arthur would wind up impaired for the rest of his life. However, it seemed like he would live. Alfred was back in his room just before nurses carted him in, and he patiently waited for the man to wake back up.

When he could pry his eyes open again, the light invaded his vision immediately, eliciting a groan. He lifted his hands to shield himself, and soon came to the conclusion morning had come. The harshness of the light indicated it wasn't the early hours of the morning either. The thumping of his head was still ever present, but the intensity had climbed. Once he had adjusted, he noticed Alfred sitting there, and again his eyebrows rose. "...You're still here? I must have made an impression." Arthur said, and slowly sat up.

Alfred laughed a bit at him, sitting at Arthur's bedside patiently. "You could say that." The vampire agreed, still sated from Arthur's blood earlier that night. "It's good to see that you can speak- they had hoped that you wouldn't have any bad effects from the surgery."

Arthur's concern roused itself quickly at Alfred's comment, and he tested the mobility of his body. He closed and opened his fists and moved his legs about. Once he was satisfied with the physical competence, he recited his personal details in his head. Only then did he relax.

Alfred had since stood, and closed the blinds so that the room was darker once more. "Would you like something to drink? Water?" The volunteer asked sweetly, more than happy to assist his pet.

Arthur murmured a thank you for the dimming of the room, and sought out Alfred's presence by those illuminate eyes. "Oh, please, but only if it isn't a bother. I feel really weak; must be the surgery." He replied, and rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"I  _did_  go home while you were sent off to get tested, and I just came back to see you when you were getting carted in here." The vampire lied easily as he made conversation with the human, walking over to where he was laying down once again, and gently petting Arthur's hair to soothe him. "Do you need pain medication?"

His body stiffened at the touch, his awakened mind finding this strange but something innate stopped him from questioning Alfred. It was soothing in the end. His pride screamed no, but his body pleaded for him to say yes. "... Only a little, just because it's straight after surgery." He excused, refusing to admit to pain.

Alfred nodded, smiling at him as he called for a nurse to administer Arthur the pain medication- and he thought strongly to himself-  _no drinking from him_ \- at least until it passed through the human's bloodstream. Pain medication could be transferred to the vampire through blood, and it could have...interesting effects, at times. Actually,  _most_  drugs could be transferred like that, and he typically took great care not to drink from inebriated humans. When it happened, it happened, but he didn't much like it happening.

"Alright, I'll go fetch you something to drink, be back shortly." Alfred quipped, bowing his head to the human before he got up and left.

The nurse who came in knew that he was lying to save face, and gave him the appropriate dosage to knock him so far out of his head that he couldn't feel the pain. Alfred knew he had to be lying; he just had no grounds to base it on.

Arthur was meticulous in watching the nurse and how she conducted herself with the dosage; soon thanking her for her help once she had finished. After all the fuss he had started, he didn't want to break that facade that he was not in pain or that he needed treatment. But, he had to say that the pain relieve was welcomed with open arms. It took a few seconds to take effect, but when it did Arthur couldn't be bothered with his firm attitude towards the hospital, his mind thoroughly sedated by painkillers.

The vampire waltzed back in with a water bottle from the hospital, filled with water and ice, the thing covered by a lid and able to be sipped through a straw in an attempt to make it less likely for the patients to spill on themselves. "Hi, Arthur, I'm back." He announced with a grin at the man, going to sit down beside him once more.

"A sippy cup?" Arthur stated, and reached out for the water bottle eagerly. "Thank youuu." He drawled, and leaned over the edge of the bed to bridge the gap.

"It's  _not_  a sippy cup- look at it! It has a bendy straw, not that little thing that's not quite a straw that toddlers use to teeth on." He shook his head, handing it to him by setting it in his lap, not particularly wanting Arthur to fall out of his bed. "Looks like she gave you the good stuff." Alfred joked with a sharp smile, sitting beside him and taking out his phone.

Humans were ingenious creatures- the smartphone was an incredible leap forward in human technology, even though he typically used it to keep track in his notes the name and information of his pet, and to watch cat and dog animals online. And speaking of that, he needed more human ways of finding his new source of sustenance…

Frowning at being corrected, Arthur squinted at the water bottle and gave the straw a little bat with his hand, which soon amused him, distracting him quickly. He chuckled quietly at it, and continued to hit it, occasionally taking a sip. "Yes, I feel  _really_  good. No pain, it's like…it doesn't exist." He replied, paying no mind to Alfred. The bottle was interesting enough when he was under the influence of the pain relievers.

"Hey, Arthur." He said brightly, hiding his slightly malevolent intentions. "Mind if I snag your cell phone number?" He asked, smiling innocently at the man. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep in touch..." Of course, he was also going to find out his home address and such from him, but there wasn't any need for the man to think about why Alfred wanted all of that information just yet.

When called, the human looked up in interest and smiled slightly. "Oh yes, there is nothing more I would want than to keep in contact with someone gorgeous like you." As he was rummaging through his police shirt for his phone, he continued to talk, but his words began to slur. "I don't know what you would get out of it talking to me, but all to our own I suppose."

Alfred laughed a bit, louder and livelier from before. "To be honest! You're pretty hot." He winked at the human with a raunchy smile, much more at ease around the human with his senses being dulled- the vampire wasn't  _precisely_  sated- but he was no longer starving. "I mean, I've been shamelessly flirting with you all night and you've been so unresponsive! I was worried you were straight! C'mon, I'm not that young, I know what I want in a man! I'm 23!" He lied easily, scooting his chair over to get closer to the bed, and he helped him get out his cell.

Alfred wasn't  _always_  a hunger driven vampire, after all. If he waited too long in between meals, the vampire was a lot more susceptible to being cold, mean, apathetic and generally misanthropic. It was like a whole new definition of "hangry", the vampire would occasionally joke to himself when he was in the right state of mind to think about that sort of thing.

Whenever Francis stopped by to see him, the older vampire would occasionally comment "You're not you when you're hungry- eat a human", at which, depending on how hungry Alfred actually was, Francis would either be scolded firmly about how he didn't eat humans and that the phrase was to eat a snickers, or Alfred would darkly tell Francis not to tempt him.

And on the topic of Francis- he was a vampire from ancient France, and as Alfred would jokingly tell him, was about four days older than dirt. And it had been Francis that had turned Alfred all those years ago- preying upon a young man who thought his whole life was ahead of him, and in order- in Puritanical Massachusetts in 1639. The old vampire had desired a vampiric slave and had very much  _ironically_  ended up with a fledgling vampire lord solely because he misjudged how well Alfred would accustom to the transformation and Alfred's own internal powers. The Frenchman had been bitter about it for a good long while, but ultimately respected Alfred in his own right, and found him as a valuable ally, and perhaps even a good friend.

The words that Arthur could hear were too good to be true, and there was a brief moment where in his allayed state, he had to reassure himself they  _were_  Alfred's words and not something bore out of his imagination. A handsome man flattering him and admitting to being flirtatious was a lot to absorb when his mind was buzzing. "Twenty-three?" The officer echoed, and soon his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "No, that's where I draw the line. You are  _too good_  to be true. You look straight out of a high school and are an absolute gobsmacker- and you admit to flirting with me." He recounted to himself, and his lips pursed slightly. "These drugs must be very strong, because I just entered my dream world."

Deciding to humor it after hearing his own words a loud, Arthur readily let Alfred aid him in his task. "Here." Arthur pointed to where it was in his shirt pocket, and Alfred took it out to hand to him. However, when Arthur went to press the buttons- to his incredibly dismay- the touchscreen wasn't very responsive. Omitted from his perception was the fact that his thin pads of his finger were missing the images on the screen, and it led to confusion to settling on his face. "It's not working." Another miscalculated jab of his finger caused a frustrated sound to be produced before he shoved the damned thing towards Alfred. "I logged in and got my pin, but my contacts won't open." He complained.

Alfred snorted loudly in his amusement, grabbing Arthur's phone out of his hand and going to sit on the edge of the bed in favor of the chair. "Well, I have to be at least 22 now don't I? After all, if I was in the armed forces, I had to serve at least 4 years, which is the minimum." He snickered as he typed in his phone information into Arthur's phone with the note- "Hot American who is definitely flirting with you", and put Arthur's information into his as well once his contact on Arthur's had been saved. "And, I served 5 years, not four. Meaning...I'm 23."

Arthur had his fingers up, calculating it as Alfred guided him through it all. It was not registering in any form, be it the physical representation or his calculations in his mind. In the end, it was easier to agree and pretend that was his conclusion in the first place. "Well I didn't want to believe how old you are, that's all." Arthur dismissed with his own approved nod. "I'm twenty-four, so in the end I'm older. It's a shame I look nothing like you."

This was an offhanded thought to himself, but it nevertheless caused him to feel a little more deflated. It took him too long to be accepted into the police academy, despite his promising profile. The only thing working against him was the dominant presence of his brothers who liked to see nothing more than their little brother flail about. After all the complications, Arthur was accepted and had been serving for three years. While it wasn't a popular job, Arthur had been a bookshop attendant whilst waiting for his ideal career- he had only recently been put on the official force…and he was already in the hospital.

Once Alfred had saved the human's number into his phone (along with his home address that Alfred had found saved in the Google Maps app), Alfred smiled brightly at him. "Well, there you go!" He chirped, handing it back over to him.

Numbly accepting the phone, he stared at it briefly, frustrated that he wasn't able to make it function and pouted slightly.

" _And_ , if you still don't believe that I'm flirting with you, maybe this will make you believe me." He smiled a bit more lustfully, and leaned over the man, kissing him deeply and passionately.

"Sorr-" The officer was slightly knocked back by such force and passion in the kiss, and remained still against his cold lips. It didn't take long for him to indulge, matching his pace despite a few clumsy kisses due to his sedation.

Alfred finally pushed himself entirely onto the bed, his body slightly warmer than Arthur had first thought. Alfred knew that it was only because he had just indulged in drinking Arthur's blood, and his body was still warmed by its presence. "Mmm, you're very sexy, Arthur, I think you underestimate yourself..." Alfred whispered before going back into a kiss, making out with the human and straddling him in order to make the current arrangement work- they would certainly have to do it on a more comfortable bed- like Alfred's king sized one at his estate.

Arthur's eyes had widened when he watched Alfred become comfortable on the bed, his kisses growing softer and meek when he was straddled. His heart was galloping away, leaving him with not much air and an occupied mind. Alfred's lips were on his. Alfred was before him and making him breathless. Alfred called him  _sexy_ \- it all made him feel dizzy and aroused.

The vampire pressed against his human play toy, his hands feeling up Arthur's chest and enjoying the drumming of the human's racing heartbeat against the vampire's lifeless hands. He had hastened his "breathing" in order to simulate arousal, eager to remind Arthur subconsciously of master- even if he couldn't willfully think of him, the being was there before him, and Arthur still belonged to him in his entirety.

Leaning forward, he soon found his confidence again and anchored himself to the other with a grip on his jacket, and kept their bodies close to one another. The feeling of his tongue dancing with his, and the small pants between kisses was too surreal. It was too easy to get caught up and listen to that underlying impulse to submit and enjoy what was given and to not question why it was there.

He pulled away from the make out session, staring down at him and licking their shared saliva off his lips. "Wasn't that proof enough...?" He asked with a grin, before pulling away and sitting back down on the edge of the bed, facing Arthur with a flirtatious smile.

The fabric between Arthur's fingers suddenly came loose and his lips were left alone, and he was left to stare at Alfred, flustered. "I...You..." He began, and held his own chest, feeling the beat echo through his body. "Yes, sufficient proof. Feel free to remind me whenever you like." He said after a moment, and chuckled lightly. "You certainly have bravado, Alfred."

Alfred laughed lightly, nodding. "Thanks. You seem to have collected yourself a bit." He pouted, though it was all in good humor. "You're rather funny when you're all drugged up, you know?" The vampire pushed himself back off the bed, and sat back on the seat, humming and closing his eyes, looking thoughtful.

"I can imagine. Drugs do make an individual act out of character. I can only imagine the disaster I was." Arthur said with a sigh, and rubbed at the center of his forehead. Arthur somehow couldn't help but feel disappointed when there was a large distance between them, but he pushed aside that desire to remain at his side.

"Hey- I  _don't_  think you're a disaster. Just sort of silly." Alfred said, playfully after Arthur had finished speaking, and he smiled.

Arthur scoffed at first. "Silly? Well then, I suppose it's an improvement from a disaster."

" _Mm_ , well, do I rather like the thought of a good and proper date, and probably some  _sex_  while we're at it, but that's hardly appropriate...you're in the hospital, you just had brain surgery...your hair's partly shaved." Alfred had just figured he would inform him now.

Before the police officer could respond to the casual mention of sex, his hands flung themselves to his hair and he felt the patches where his hair was missing, and he bit his bottom lip hard to contain his distress. Though it was always disheveled and not well kept, his hair was still precious to him. "It's gone..." He murmured, and tried to focus on his words.

Alfred paused, the vampire going to hold his hand when the man looked upset at the hair, before speaking again. Arthur's attention was redirected back to him, and it was certainly wasn't so hard with the following topic. "…But I've never been good at not going after what I wanted...and you're most certainly someone I want." He smiled, more good-naturedly than the night before.

At feeling the touch to his hand, he stiffened slightly but slowly relaxed, strangely enough  _welcoming_  the comfort that Alfred sought to provide. "…I must say-I don't understand why. I'm just a ill-tempered police officer." Arthur pointed out, and settled back into his bed.

"You know- you're selling yourself  _awfully_ short, Arthur... You're my type. Feisty. Green eyes, blonde hair, in shape…pretty cute." Alfred grinned at the last phrase, before biting his bottom lip flirtatiously. "Dedicated to his work." He squeezed his hand. "All  _very_ attractive qualities."

He frowned instinctively at being flattered so generously, but couldn't stop his heart from galloping furiously, whilst his ability to speak became impaired. "Alfred." He managed to finally say, and looked away, flustered. "… I'm not that feisty."

The vampire smiled again, enigmatically turning back to the topic of Arthur's health. "Doctors will be in to talk with you soon, I imagine... I wanted to know if you have anyone at your home to check on you?" He asked, curious. "I mean...brain surgery is rather serious, particularly for a concussion, and you'll still have all the bruising from that as well... I dunno, I'd just like to be able to keep an eye on you... You just seem like the type to try and ignore common sense."

That wasn't really why Alfred was so eager to have Arthur with him- though he knew that his pet would jump at the chance to be with him, he had to get  _all_  of him on board with the idea of Alfred- Arthur's consciousness too.

At the mention of having someone, he remained quiet and soon waved a hand. "No, I live alone. My brothers are close by. But, I don't need babying or looking after, Alfred. I can look after myself." He said defensively, but felt like he was just proving the man's point. "I will practice what I see as common sense." He added, hoping it would be some sort of comfort.

Alfred frowned, pulling away and leaning back in his seat. "Arthur, there is no doubt that under normal circumstance, you can fend for yourself with ease. You had brain surgery. Typically you're not allowed to leave the hospital for a few days anyway. You're also not supposed to drive or operate heavy machinery. I'm simply saying, it might be smart to have someone...looking after you for a bit- just while you're... not yourself." And, giving Arthur his cherubic smile, the vampire perfectly hid all of his foul intentions. "So...come home with me, Arthur Kirkland?" He said, offering his hand back to him, reaching it out to him with his offer and proposition- much like Alfred couldn't enter a home without the humans permission- he couldn't force them into his estate either.

In Arthur's mind, the change of topic had certainly sobered him, and his scrambled thoughts quickly aligned. Alfred had presented him with both plausible and good points, but Arthur simply hated to acknowledge that his own abilities and skills would not be sufficient for his own care. His stubborn nature was telling him to reject the hand and offer, but there was this strange, sudden compulsion inside that had him taking it. "...Know that I do not like this arrangement, and that I will not stay long, but I accept." Arthur said reluctantly, but he could feel some sort of satisfaction come over him. A small smirk formed. "I'm vulnerable at these stages, don't take advantage of me too much now. You're supposed to be my caretaker." He teased.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Alfred said, blue eyes closing as he smiled brightly, only to open maliciously at the last second, his smile turning into a confident smirk as Arthur laid back down in the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to the fuck ass who keeps commenting on my fics to tell me about why my gay sex scenes are "classless" or gross or w/e.
> 
> i will be reporting you for spamming from this point forward. I'm gay. I write gay sex scenes. big fucking deal. move along now. you're an asshole.
> 
> Have a good day.


	2. Interlude with a Vampire ( i )- Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A of of many short interludes with information about the vampire world featuring Alfred and his relationship with his originator, the vampire Francis Bonnefoy. 
> 
> Alfred's transformation in the 1630's, and and explanation on Francis' apparent apathy to humankind. 
> 
> (I deleted and then readded it, since edited it and added new content to it...)

_Alfred only knew pain, and his entire being_ _**HUNGERED** _ _. "What!? What's happened to me?!" He clawed at his own chest, the feeling burning inside of him unlike anything else before, but focused solely on the fact that the last remembered was of getting a hole blown through his chest._

" _Ehhh? Why are you talking?" Came a harshly accented voice, and Alfred turned to see the blonde who had shot him, glaring at him a bit. "Aren't you my slave now?" His killer put some sort of pressure on Alfred's mind, and he shrieked in pain, but pushed back and glared, gripping his head._

" _S-stop that!" He stuttered as loudly as he could manage, even as the pressure in his mind grew more painful and forced tears from Alfred's eyes. "S-stop…. stop it!" He screamed, and broke the control altogether, the oppressive force gone from his mind, and Alfred stared at him angrily. "What have you done to me?!" He demanded answers from his murderer, getting up and staggering over to him, vague recollections of a gunshot, burning, blood, and sex imprinted deeply in the back of his mind._

 _Alfred sobbed, shaking in pain,_ _ **hunger** _ _burning inside his chest in a way he had never felt before, and then toppled to his side and writhed in_ _ **need for It, he needed It more than anything else before- he was so HUNGRY**_ _._

 _The other blonde stared at him in confusion and horror, mutely handing him_ _ **something**_ _, and Alfred didn't even know what it was,_ _ **didn't care what it was, it was food**_ _, and he found himself devouring it, feeling something hot and wonderful against his tongue, ripping the thing open to get at the_   _ **food** _ _better._

_The 19 year old finished devouring whatever the man had handed him, and his hunger faded, leaving Alfred there once again, more confused and feeling more like himself, more able to think outside of whatever sensation to realize that whatever he had been eating was twitching slightly in his grasp, and he looked down in abject horror to realize that the thing in his arms was a young woman, staring at the sky with unseeing eyes, and Alfred watched as the life left her altogether, and she ceased her movements._

_It only took him a moment longer to realize the cause of her death- he felt the sticky warm substance on his lips and face and hands and body, just as well as he saw her gaping neck, and he stared, frozen, unable to cry and unable to scream._

" _Hmmm, we'll need to dispose of the body then, I do believe." The man-_ _ **Francis**_ _, his mind unconsciously supplied for him- was muttering to himself. "I knew that you would be hungry, but it has been so long since I was turned that I forgot how a freshly turned Undead consumed their first victim."_

_Alfred looked to him in disgust. "You…. you did this to me." He said, shocked and confused, feeling his lips to find that there were fangs there, long and protruding and frightening. "Why did you do this to me!" He shouted at him, tears freely flowing now._

" _I wanted a slave." The man shrugged, not seeming to care about how awful the situation was to Alfred. "I didn't know you would take so well to the transformation, but that is my fault, I suppose. I didn't do all that much research on transforming others into beings like myself, an Undead." He sighed. "Either way, you are my responsibility now, young fledgling."_

" _W-what am I?" He asked, though he knew the answer deep inside of his heart, feeling cursed and damned since he knew this affliction from myth and old wives tales._

" _You should know." Francis shrugged. "You just ate, after all."_

" _Tell me, tell me exactly what you made me!" He shouted, angry and confused with all that had happened. He had only just turned 19…he wasn't married…he had a life ahead of him._

" _Undead is the only thing we truly call it." Francis shrugged. "Humans don't have one agreed name for us- but all those across the world have a concept for those like us. We are immortal beings who consume human blood to survive and thrive."_

" _Why did you make me like…like you!" Alfred demanded to have an explanation, and Francis only sighed, rather put out._

" _I_ _ **did**_ _tell you, I wanted a slave- my hope was that the transformation would drive you mad, and leave you obedient to my will for the rest of eternity or at least until I died. However, you broke free of my control of you altogether, little fledgling. You're far beyond my ideal for you, unfortunately."_

" _How does that help?" Alfred asked, shaking his head and trying to wake up from this nightmare. "What is good about any of that?"_

_Francis only sighed in distaste. "Admittedly it seems rather cruel, however, one might say that I am such a monster that I have lost touch with my humanity."_

XXXXX

Over the centuries since his turning, Alfred came to understand Francis at least somewhat. The vampire-a far more modern term that came of English Penny Dreadful's in the Victorian Era- was one who suffered a broken heart, and he had a long time since lost all touch with his humanity in a way that made Alfred believe perhaps the man had lost it altogether.

Francis would not admit how long he had been around, but Alfred put a guess around medieval times, and the man agreed with that. It was very easy to find out more about vampires from him- Francis had him reading as much as he possibly could in the decades after his transformation.

Alfred had gotten plenty of stories rather quickly from the older vampire. As it turned out, older Vampires  _loved_  the sound of their own voices. It had been only 20 years after Alfred's transformation that the older vampire had told him the story around the most controversial subject of all- human and vampire romance.

XXXXX

" _Francis, why is it taboo for an Undead to love a human?" Alfred asked, looking up from the texts the older Undead had recommended he read. "It's mentioned here quite a lot…that you just don't do it. Why?"_

_Francis looked at him, and sighed. "Well, I would be a hypocrite if I told you that it was forbidden. After all, I was one of the poor saps that the manuscript is writing about. I loved a human."_

_Alfred looked at him for more information, and Francis sat down, holding a glass of blood to his lips as he sipped slowly. "I suppose it is time to tell you more, rather than make you read all those manuscripts." He mumbled. "Well, what is your first question on that? It will do no harm to have you know with a bit more personal insight on why it is a bad idea to fall in love with a human."_

" _Alright…" The fledgling hummed, and he coughed. "Well, for starters. Who was the person you fell in love with, and how did it go wrong?"_

_The undead lord looked thoughtful, before speaking. "Her name was Jeanne, though your American literature might call her Joan of Arc. The main issue was, as unfortunate as it was at the time, I was already cursed to be Undead a long time before I met her." He said first. "She was beautiful, a pure being of God. I was not yet so far gone to wish to taint her with my affliction." He sighed. "It was not me who ended her life, as I'm sure you know."_

" _Joan of Arc?" Alfred murmured. "The Catholic Saint, right? From the Hundred Years war? She was burned at the stake, was she not?" Alfred asked, and Francis agreed, a certain darkness in his eyes that accentuated how his pupils glowed red like fire._

" _Humans." He spat. "They didn't recognize the angel that walked this earth, Oh, no no no. They saw her pureness and they_ _ **destroyed her**_ _!" He shouted in his deep-seated anger, throwing the chalice of blood he had been drinking across the room and smashing it, the blood spatter most certainly going to stain his wall._

" _That was an antique." Alfred muttered after the shock faded. "It would have sold well had you kept it a bit longer."_

_Francis glared at him with malice, such misanthropy in his gaze that Alfred truly understood him and his cruelty towards mankind._

" _You really did love her." Alfred said, matter of fact, and that anger deflated, leaving a shell of a man and monster._

" _I did." His voice cracked. "I knew I would never have her, I would never taint her with this curse, but I loved her, I loved her with every part of my damned soul. She was just a girl- only 19." He stared up at the dark ceiling. "And they_ _ **killed**_ _her."_

" _The German fellow we met up with a decade ago mentioned that things tend to go wrong when the Undead love humans." Alfred said in the break in conversation, wanting to know more. "Is that why it's considered taboo?"_

" _He is, in fact, extremely right." Francis growled, bitter. "They always have that tendency to go sour- it is so commonly known that loving a human ends tragically that it is considered taboo among our kind, even among some to be outright forbidden." Francis sighed. "Which is where that manuscript you're holding is coming from. No one will arrest you if you love a human, certainly not, but there will be a sense of…pity, and sorrow for you."_

" _Gilbert also said that he was born out of tragedy- was something like that?" Alfred asked, wondering if human and undead tragedy could result in a the birth of a new undead, and Francis disagreed, shaking his head as he switched topics from romance to discussing how Undead came to be._

" _No, Alfred. Our kind is occasionally born in many ways other than transformation." Francis murmured. "Our German friend_ _ **is**_ _an Undead born of suffering- but not of human and Undead love- I do not think that a tragic ending between two lovers has ever borne a new undead." Francis explained. "Though, humans and undead can have children, and we call them halflings or_ _Damphirs_."

_The fledgling nodded, accepting this information._

_The older Undead spoke up again, on the matter of Gilbert. "From what I understand, that German fellow took his own life and woke up as an Undead. However, typically there are only a few other pathways for human and undead romance to end up- the first is of course, some day one of you kills the other. Second is, you have sex and create a Halfling child. Most commonly, you turn them and it goes wrong- and you wind up with something other than the person you loved."_

" _Hey- didn't my transformation go wrong?" He asked, curious._

" _Yes, it did." Francis agreed with a chortle. "Though I am glad to admit it went this way now, of course. You see, Alfred, turning people into Undead can be a tricky thing. Your outcome is rather uncommon- an extremely rare thing, even. Most of the way we get new high-powered Undead is through what we call fresh blood- i.e., a pureblood Undead child, or a human who ended up an Undead from something other than transformation. Gilbert, therefore, is a fresh-blooded Undead because his hunger does not come from an Undead originator; it burst itself from within his being altogether. Humans who are transformed by an Undead are things called borrowed blood, though that term is fading from usage because so many of us have died. Its borrowed blood because of how the transformation is done. If I hadn't given you some of my blood after I had drained you dry, you simply would have died, or the less favorable option, was that you would become a ghoul."_

_Alfred looked curious, but Francis didn't like interruptions in his speech, so hoped that he would explain what a ghoul was to the younger Undead._

" _Ah, a ghoul is something that is truly evil." Francis murmured. "A ghoul is a soulless being. You and I, we still possess our souls, even if they are damned to be cursed like this. A ghoul has lost its soul, for lack of a better explanation, and only can feel glimmers if anything of who it had been in life. Imagine if the only thing you ever felt was the burning hunger of starvation, and you couldn't even think or process anything- that is the existence of a ghoul. They kill until they_ _ **are**_ _killed. Many of them are known for killing Undead as well, since allegedly they seek to become like us and drink our blood to become us. That does not work, however- but it does give them more dangerous powers and usually prompts Undead to kill them."_

 _Alfred only nodded, unable to imagine what that would feel like. He shivered at the thought and remembered how Francis had disposed the body of the puritan woman he had drained the day he had been transformed- he had burned her, and had not let Alfred see her. Sometime in the night, he had heard inhuman screams coming from the area Francis had been disposing of her…well. That explained_ _**that** _ _now._

 _Francis brought back his attention with a cough. "However, I gave you my blood to complete your transformation, hence the title_ _**borrowed blood** _ _." Francis explained. "When blood is borrowed, there are only a few options and it varies entirely based off the person you are transforming. First of which is what you became- a fledgling Lord, which essentially means that you will hold greater capacity for power, and have a stronger will, and you will far more easily control weaker Undead and humans. Second of which is not what I had desired for you, but more common than what you became- a lesser Undead. There are plenty of varieties of lesser Undead, but in the end they are all the same. They were humans who didn't have that strength of will and resolve to maintain their minds, and while they didn't lose their mind, they did lose a lot of their ability for individuality. They typically don't have special powers, and usually live in the estate of a higher Undead. The last is about as common as becoming a lesser undead- a slave. These are those who had little to no will- they become aimless creatures, only concerned of their masters, even after being turned. They act like humans in trance, but need blood. They are easily manipulated and have little to no free thought."_

_Alfred shivered at the thought and how Francis described them._

" _Is that why you don't transform humans anymore?" He asked, and Francis laughed._

" _No! I don't because apparently with my shit luck, you wind up with an Undead Lord who was already shaping up to be stronger than yourself- the most uncommon occurrence of borrowed blood- instead of getting the slave you wanted, the most common occurrence of borrowed blood." He explained with a sardonic laugh. "Why would I ever want to take those odds? I might end up creating a new lord of the dead!" Francis barked out a laugh, getting up and waving his hand to make his glass fly over to him, rolling his eyes at the broken antique and went to clean up his mess._

" _Am I actually stronger than you, Francis?" Alfred asked, standing again and going to help the man he had always viewed as his superior, if not precisely his master._

" _Undoubtedly, Alfred." Francis grumbled. "I knew from the moment you broke my control on you in the first few moments after you had woken up transformed- you were at the very least, destined to be upper- Nobility, if not outright Royalty in our kind. My power is only that of a weak noble, the only difference between you and I is how much more experience I have in using my abilities."_

" _What are you, then?" Alfred asked, blinking confusedly._

_Francis smirked lightly, and shrugged. "I am fresh-blooded, but I will not say how I came to be. That would take the last of my mystery out of my existence to you- and I am not that keen on seeing you surpass me."_

XXXXX

_Many years later, as the end of the 18 th century coming to a close with the Napoleonic War, the Undead Society of France being expelled and dispersed for the time being, Francis turned up at Alfred’s door._

_Alfred had long since become a Vampire lord in his own right, but he was more than willing to offer Francis a place in his estate on the westernmost border of the new country, America._

_“Well, my dear Alfred.” He said with a flourish. “It is admittedly nice to see you. Look at this manor, it is truthfully rather beautiful.”_

_Alfred grinned at him, gesturing for the older Undead to follow him inside.  “Gilbert has finally gotten back in touch with me- apparently there were attacks in the 1740’s on the Prussian Society?”_

_Francis nodded. “Yes, he is fine, but there was a outburst of Ghouls in East Prussia.” The man explained.  “Despite how he is quite the opposite of holy at this point, Gilbert doesn’t allow ghouls or even other vampires to prey all that much on humans- he has had his hands rather full for a long while.”_

_Alfred shivered. “I would imagine- ghouls are hard to deal with.”  The younger vampire said, letting Francis into his home._

_“Do not forget, the conference of the many Societies of the Undead is coming up.” Francis said with a small smirk. “As America is a new country, I’d imagine that you would have to create a speech on the state of the **Vampyre** in this New World as well- though I wouldn’t hold it against you if you decided to not come at all.” He was rather stubborn at using the French pronunciation of the word that was slowly coming to replace the word Undead in discussion of their kind. _

_“No, I want to go.” Alfred said quickly. “Francis, I’m going to be almost 200 years old when the conference comes around.  However, I want a final talk with you.  I cannot find any literature on the subject- and I’m assuming you know since you definitely understand how to do it- because I know you did it….”_

_Francis looked visibly uncomfortable as the younger vampire trailed off. “Alfred, my protégé. Why on earth would you want to know how to turn someone else, since that is what I am assuming you want of me?”_

_The young lord ran a hand through his hair. “I just don’t want to seem unknowledgeable if I am to go in front of the Council as the representative as the eldest Undead of the USA.”_

_Francis sighed, and looked down.  “Well, I suppose that makes sense, mon ami.”Francis followed Alfred, who brought him to a living room.  The two sat down, the manor quiet and abandoned.  “You really do need to get some staff to work here- I know you know how to hypnotize…” He muttered, bitter the other vampire had the power where Francis did not, but Alfred waved him off, desiring answers._

_“Get on with it, Francis. Tell me.”  Alfred mumbled._

_The Frenchmen took in a deep breath in, and then let it out.  The motion was entirely unnecessary, but Alfred didn’t comment on the man’s dramatics. “Well, Alfred- certainly, by now you know that simply drinking from a human does not turn them into a member of the Undead. When you drain a human entirely, sometimes they become a Ghoul, but that is also **not** what we are speaking about._

_He coughed, and looked out. “First, there must be a traumatic event that puts their body into shock.  I am certain you remember how I shot you first before I transformed you. It doesn’t always have to be inflicted by another- Gilbert is a pureblood that comes from tragedy, a special vampyre born out of his own trauma.  The trauma doesn’t always have to be physical either- sometimes simply viewing death will work, if the person who died matters enough to the one interested in being transformed.  The trauma is also an important piece in determining which drained bodies become ghouls- if the person was traumatized before they were drained, and the transformation wasn’t completed, the human will almost always turn into a ghoul.”_

_With that, silence grew between them, but Francis simply looked at his hands before he found the words again. “I am also certain you know that we have venom in our beings.”  The undead lord looked at him with blue eyes, softened by being sated. “It is why humans do not scream when we drink from them.  Even if they are hypnotized, their will to live can best us if our feeding does not pleasure them enough.”_

_“Which is why our venom acts for two purposes- for one, it generally keeps humans addicted to us, and it can make us their masters once we decide to feed from them, and it also comes in handy when its time to turn them." _The French Vampire muttered something about how it wasn't always the case, his venom didn't do jack shit to make humans any nicer to him._   "Drinking from them acts as a trigger, see, to make their blood more receptive to having its composition changed.  But, that also is not enough to change them, for if that were the end of it, there would be no ghouls.  _ _The true trigger is that you must give them your blood…and your seed must be shared.” Francis coughed a bit. “It is rather inappropriate to mention… particularly since I am the one who turned you.”_

_“I knew that you fucked my dying body, Francis.”  Alfred muttered. “I remembered **that** bit well enough from the first time I woke up turned into an undead.”_

_Francis shrugged, looking hot under the collar and slightly embarrassed- rightfully so, considering the act.  “Still, it is a crucial part in distilling the curse to another- blood of an originator, as well as the seed from that person.  It can be harder when the originator is a woman, but…it can still happen. I don’t know how they do it, but they manage well enough.”_

_“Doesn’t the Mistress of the Austro-Hungarian empire…Elizabeta, doesn’t she have a large court of mostly male Undead?”  He asked, confused._

_With an awkward smile and some shoulder shrugging, Francis had to sheepishly admit he had no idea how that worked once again, and Alfred had to laugh, good-naturedly._

_“There is also a younger female Lady from the small country of Liechtenstein.”  Francis admitted.  “However, she only has sex and turns other women- though she is far more picky than the Lady Elizabeta.”_

_Alfred stared, and Francis nodded. “Yes.  Even if you’re asked… it’s not polite discussion even amongst our circles to discuss the process of turning someone.”  Francis admitted. “Better you know that now, I suppose.” The older Undead said, and Alfred had the courtesy to look embarrassed as well._

_But, that was the process of transforming another.  Alfred wasn’t precisely sure if he’d ever attempt that, but he had the knowledge, at the very least._


	3. Interlude with a Vampire ( ii )- Life and Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hardest lesson for a young vampire to learn is that life moves forward for those you leave behind along with your mortal flesh- as it comes, letting go of his twin brother was the worst moment in his immortal life.

" _Is there no way to do it?" A haggard, tired voice was speaking as the man who it belonged to thumped another book from the Library down onto the table, having closed it in frustration. He didn't want to accept it…it was entirely cruel and unfair, but after 4 weeks of searching for answers in the esteemed Library of the Undead, for all hours of the day, there was simply no answer to be found other than the one Francis had provided for him at the start of his search._

" _I do believe I_ _ **already**_ _gave you that answer, Alfred." Francis' annoyed voice was heavy with its French accent, and Alfred growled at him, glaring at where an older pair of blue eyes was staring at him._

" _The fact it's a_ _ **myth**_ _means that there has to be some level of truth behind it!" The fledgling shouted in anger as he tossed the book to the side, making all sorts of other Undead stare at him in disapproval, and a few "Shoosh!" him as loudly as they could whisper._

_Francis sighed as he picked up the book Alfred had thrown, and placed it back on the shelf before walking back over to where Alfred was furiously scanning yet another text. "Alfred, my dear fledgling, you're running into the same wall as any other Undead who got angry at the fact their human loved ones die even as we live on, time unchanged for our bodies as theirs begins to rot and decay."_

_Sharp blue eyes turned to Francis in sudden, unequivocal anger. "Shut up!" He shouted, and conjured up his largely untapped telekinetic powers to send Francis flying across the room, the Frenchman making a small shocked noise as he hit the wall on the far side of the library._

_A few Undead went to help the older lord, but many more snickered at the fact Lord Francis had created a fledgling stronger than himself, and though it had been entirely unintentional, was having a hard time controlling him now._

" _It's not the same." Alfred growled in anger and frustration. "Another Undead drank him dry and he came back as a ghoul- and you know as well as I do that is not the same as him dying of natural causes!"_

" _Why does it matter to you anyway, Alfred?" Francis grumbled, irritated as he walked back up. "Your brother has thought you to be dead nearly for the last half a century- and I know for fact that you have not spoken to him since then. And anyway, now or later or before this, does the timing of death ever matter? To beings such as us, 30 years in a human and 60 years in a human are just the same."_

" _His life was stolen and he was corrupted." Alfred muttered, glaring at Francis, his fangs out and his pupils turning red in his wrath, making Francis back off- he had already been thrown across the library once, after all. "Now, I'm going to try and find a way to save my brother, no matter how weird you think it is."_

" _Alfred, my boy. There is no way to give a ghoul their soul back." Francis muttered. "You're chasing after a dream that plenty of other Undead gave their lives to- why must you desire to do the same?"_

_The fledgling glared at his creator, and the pureblooded Undead only sighed in defeat, going back to helping his protégé scan through piles upon piles of research at the library hidden deep underground- the Library of Alexandria._

_Another week later, the silence between them as they searched for answers on the souls of Ghouls was finally broken by Alfred's curiosity._

" _Wasn't this place burned to the ground?" Alfred asked him as he read another text, and Francis chuckled before sitting down at the table once again._

" _We invented the myth that humans burnt it down, and of course since we couldn't stick to one story on why the manuscripts and volumes disappeared, there are many human theories on why it was supposedly "burned"." Francis said with a flamboyant gesture. "However, much of the knowledge in the library pertained to the Undead, since the Undead have always been the best record keepers around- so we protected it and brought it here, the new Library of Alexandria._

_Alfred sighed, and rubbed his temples as he continued to sift through the manuscripts._

_But, there seemed to be no answer that Alfred wanted to hear. There was nothing left but death for those creatures known as ghouls._

_However, there_ _**was** _ _something he hadn't known before about them, something he was going to use to save his brother anyway. If not keep him with him, than at the very least ensure his soul wasn't damned like Alfred's._

" _I do not know about you, my dear Fledgling, but I am well beyond ready to now take the exhausting task of being transported back overseas by means of coffin." Francis muttered, rubbing his temples. "And for what? For something we already knew- something, I in fact, told you was the only answer that was possible for your brother at this point."_

_Alfred shook his head, holding something in his grip, the answer to saving Matthew in his bag. "It wasn't pointless. We just need to go back now…though I have to say I agree with you on how awful the boat ride is…"_

" _I am simply fucking with you, mon petit Alfred." Francis grinned. "I don't have much trouble with it any longer, you though, my fledgling…you are a different story entirely."_

_Alfred groaned in his unhappiness, practically feeling how sick the travel across the moving ocean in his new form. His casket awaited him after all, and it was all Alfred could do not to vomit everywhere in his supernaturally enhanced seasickness._

XXXXX

 _After Alfred had collected himself, he told Francis he was going after Matthew alone. The older Undead simply shrugged, telling Alfred to at least_ _**try** _ _and avoid being killed by the ghoul- as loathe as the older Undead was to admit it, he had come to somewhat enjoy Alfred's companionship._

_From this point, Alfred left the American coastline, heading deeper into the growing Massachusetts Colony, in search of where his brother had wound up._

_Of course, when they met, there were only 3 endings to be had- and the one favorable option was only slightly better than the other two._

_He found the ghoul mindlessly devouring some livestock, and looked upon his brother in horror and sadness. Matthew had aged- he knew that he would have; yet it was still impossibly hard to come to grips with. Alfred_ _**knew** _ _that Matthew would continue to grow old, whilst Alfred was cursed to never age. The 45 years since the last time they had seen each other had left Matthew in his 60s, greying, with a beard that was matted with blood. His clothes were torn, and his body was muscular as a result of the transformation, teeth unlike Alfred's fangs sticking out of his mouth. Ghouls teeth were more along the lines of the maw of a beast, teeth on all sides and dripping poison and blood from his recent kill._

_He whistled loudly to get the ghoul's attention. "C'mon, Mattie, let's do this!" Alfred grinned, laughing as he watched the ghoul turn to face him. "Aren't you going to say hello to your older brother? It's been 45 years, after all!"_

_Matthew screeched at him, his purple eyes devoid of any humanity, and the Ghoul charged the Fledgling. Alfred looked at him, and simply anticipated the attack with a softly sad smile, closing his eyes as he heard the beast jump at him and taking in a breathe- though the motion was entirely unnecessary, it was nice to pretend that it was, that nothing had changed from the time they had been boys chasing each other around on their parents farm, just outside of the Puritan village of Massachusetts._

_As Matthew was about to land on him and tear Alfred's throat, Alfred took out the iron stake he had been carefully hiding on his person, and while holding it with heavy leather gloves on, caught Matthew in mid-air, and stabbed Matthew straight through the heart. He clicked a button, which released holy water deep into his brother's cursed corpse, thereby purifying his heart and being as he killed the ghoul._

_The beast's screeches faded, and Alfred tossed away the stake when he knew that Matthew's corpse wasn't going to continue on, its fate settled when it's pathetic twitching stopped. However, he had hoped…that perhaps his brother's soul would be released, spared from this- that was the only answer he had found, by talking with the Christian vampire, Gilbert again._

_He waited, sitting down and watching as the corpse burnt up in holy flame, due to the blessed water Alfred had shoved inside of its being moments after shoving a iron stake through its heart._

_A small, glowing object was left, and as it took on a more humanoid form, he knew precisely what it was that was left. Alfred smiled sadly at it, looking upon the form of his brother, now free of any mortal shell or cursed body._

" _Heya Mattie." Alfred said with affection, as the man who was technically his twin looked at him, boggled by the sight of a person that he had thought dead for many years. However, he realized that he too, had died, and Matthew smiled brightly, looking relieved._

" _Alfred! I have finally joined you! My brother!" The man, who was in his mid 60s, reached out to pull Alfred into a hug, but only went straight through him as he attempted to grasp onto him. Matthew's face sank, and he looked at Alfred, confused. "Why do I pass through you- you died…45 years ago- have I not joined you, my brother?"_

" _Matthew…." He mumbled, looking sadly at his brother. "I saved your soul from a fate worse than my own. Please, tell mom and dad I love them dearly. I doubt that you will ever see me in the afterlife." He said, softly. "For I did not die those many years ago. Please, do not hate me…I love you, with every bit of my damned soul."_

 _His twin's purple eyes watched him in horror, shaking his head even as his spiritual form faded. "That is too cruel! I finally see you again and I learn that we may never see each other again? Alfred! I will find you someday- I_ _**promise** _ _! Alfred!" No matter how much Matthew struggled, his metaphysical form vanished from Alfred's sight altogether, and left the young Undead to cry by himself._

_It was too cruel. This world, it was too cruel._

_When he went to Francis' estate, Francis looked glad to see him._

" _Did you eliminate the ghoul?" The Undead Lord asked, curious, and Alfred only nodded, to which Francis thanked him, before apologizing to Alfred._

_Alfred's blue eyes refilled with tears, and the Frenchmen put aside his apathy for a moment to comfort the younger Undead. "The first deaths are hard- I shouldn't berate you for them. There is a good reason we Undead surround ourselves with only our own kind…" He murmured. "And that is, no one wants to watch a human loved one die, as we go on the same as we always have."_

_He hadn't been expecting it, but Francis wrapped his arms around him, and held him close, making Alfred's tears start to drip once again, and his hands grip Francis' coat, burying his face into the older Undead's coat. "Why…. why did…?" He hiccupped. "Matthew…. I freed his soul from the curse, and he…he was so upset…. He promised to find me someday…"Alfred laughed. "I… I don't know whether or not to hope that he is able to accomplish that goal of his… Stupid, stupid Matthew…"_

_Francis gently stroked Alfred's hair, soothing the young American Undead as best he could. Of all the things Francis could understand in his young protégé, it was the indescribable sadness of losing someone you loved to something so cruel- no matter how much Francis didn't allow himself to think that, it didn't make it any less true._

_The fledgling's sobs of agonized pain only reminded Francis of a time lost long before._

XXXXX

" _But, Francis,_ _ **why**_ _is he back?" Alfred was chasing after the older Undead, who was hurriedly packing his belongings. The Frenchman's blue eyes were heavily tinged with red in his panic; as his animalistic urges surged to the surface. "You mentioned a human had come to see you earlier but_ _ **why**_ _are you panicking?"_

" _I do not know how he knows but he_ _ **knows**_ _!" The man screamed at him in French. "But I_ _ **do**_ _know that we are both_ _ **dead**_ _if we do not get on in a hurry!" Alfred helped Francis gather their materials from the man's home in colonial America._

" _We can die?" Alfred asked, his own voice sounding distant, knowing that it was possible, but the concept had become so foreign that he wasn't sure he understood._

" _Yes." Francis said, rubbing his temples as he heard the man at the door, pounding on the entrance and demanding to be let in. "Shit! We're dead, Alfred! I can teleport but you, mon ami, are unable to do so!" He said, and Alfred looked frightened, before he felt resolve strengthening inside of him, and he spoke up._

" _Not both dead." Alfred disagreed. "I can be a good distraction- I ate more recently, and I ate a lot. I feel a lot more human to humans, and anything else can be explained away."_

_Francis glared at his fledgling, and sighed. "Fine- make up a story at your will, but do be careful. He is a killer, Alfred. A hunter of our kind- he desires to erase our existence from this earth! There is no reasoning with him!"_

" _I will be fine, Francis." Alfred said, taking a deep breath in and out. "When death comes for me it will be on my own terms, and this isn't the end just yet. I will make sure of it."_

 _The older Undead sighed, and nodded, before he grabbed his things, and vanished into smoke._ _ **In order to make you look more credible, I am going to make my estate crumble- do watch your head.**_   _Francis' mental voice rang loud and clear in Alfred's mind, and he barely had time to cover himself before suddenly the whole house fell apart._

 _**Francis, you're** _ _**way** _ _**too dramatic.** _ _Alfred's mental voice called back, only getting a chuckle in the back of his mind._

" _Who goes there!?" The Hunter was still there, and Alfred shivered slightly, afraid and uncertain of his path. It was dark out, at least there was that. He coughed- pretending the motion was needed for lungs that were long since made useless._

" _H-hello?" He called back, poking his head up with very human-looking blue eyes, struggling under the rubble of Francis' estate._

_The human seemed shocked, and immediately went over to him to help him up out of the destroyed home. "Are you alright, sir?" He asked, looking Alfred over to check for injury._

" _Ow…my glasses got knocked off." Alfred muttered, unable to see clearly now._

 _The human looked relieved. "That means you_ _**must** _ _be human." He murmured. "What were you doing in the Undead's estate?" He asked, looking confused._

" _Ah." Alfred mumbled, rubbing his head. "Well, it's complicated. You scared off Francis, and as he mentioned moments before dropping the place on my head, I cannot teleport."_

_The human gripped him, and started to take him with him. "What are you, then?" He asked- and why were you there?"_

_Alfred blinked, rubbing his eyes in irritation of the fact he couldn't see the hunter as more than a human-shaped blob. "Oh. I'm his kid." He explained. "I'm half-human!" He said quickly, defensively. "I'm a Damphir! Different from being an undead- I was born like this."_

_The human looked confused, before something seemed to click. "You look like someone- Are you a Jones?" The hunter asked, curious, and Alfred nodded quickly._

" _Yeah…My father was named Alfred F. Jones- I was named after him!"_

_The hunter sounded incredibly confused. "Whom did you live with then? Is the Undead that did that your own father?"_

" _My father wasn't a strong Undead." He lied. "He fell in love with a human, had me, and then died years after. I don't know much of the story… Mom was a human woman, he kept me and left her to have a life of her own…Bonnefoy said-_ _ **ah**_ _!" Alfred paused. "Uhm, Bonnefoy is the Undead who owns this estate…he, he um, he said that he was the one who turned Alfred. So! I live with Bonnefoy! Uhm, Francis, Francis Bonnefoy." He explained, sheepish._

_The hunter sighed, and nodded. "Well…I guess? You're part human? You don't seem like a monster…"_

" _What makes you think the Undead are monsters?" Alfred asked, blinking, before he went to explain himself. "I mean! I've only ever had them around…they seem to be a span of people, just like humans…lots of different types."_

_There was silence, and the hunter wrapped an arm around the young man- who still only looked 19. "Well, I suppose you should be brought home to the family…" He mumbled. "We knew…from my grandfather, who was stolen from us before his time, that he thought Alfred was still alive- and you say…he's dead?"_

" _Ah…" Alfred nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Are you from his family, as well?"_

 _A laugh. "Yes, I am! I'm likely your nephew or cousin, by the sound of it, even though I must be a decade older than you!"_ _**Great-nephew** _ _, Alfred corrected mentally, since this was his brother's grandson._

" _My father killed Matthew." Alfred murmured. "It pained him greatly, Francis told me. However, he felt obligated to do so…because he didn't transform right."_

" _What does that mean? Grandfather Matthew- he became an Undead, did he not…?" The hunter sounded suspicious._

" _No." Alfred shook his head. "Just as…I am not an undead, but rather, a Damphir, what Matthew became… was very much on the…. terms of his human death." Alfred sighed. "For one, all I know is that Matthew didn't have his body transformed- he wasn't given the tools to come back as an Undead- he did…however, have the tragic death instilled into him when a foreign Undead sucked him dry. Matthew, my uncle, came back as what we call a Ghoul."_

" _Ghoul?" The hunter sounded skeptical, and Alfred nodded. "They're soulless beings! Unlike Undead, who retain their damned soul and have intelligent thought…well, most of them do…ghouls are cursed beings- cursed to desire a soul. They attack humans, animals, and undead alike." Alfred finished. "And Alfred killed Matthew out of mercy, releasing his soul so that he wouldn't be damned."_

" _My name is William." The hunter said, sighing. "William Jones."_

_Alfred nodded, smiling at him as the human man took the younger-looking Undead to where he was living._

_XXXXX_

_Life with William had been easy at first. The man, Matthew's descendent, would ask Alfred questions about the world of the Undead, and Alfred would explain as best he could, telling William about places like the Library of Alexandria- now known as the library of the Undead, and different societies, but keeping names to himself to protect those he knew._

_William, in exchange, would give him sources of blood the man approved after Alfred explained that because Francis had raised him on blood, he could no longer eat food. The man was eager to have Alfred around, and there was some sort of…bond between them that Alfred had no words to describe._

_It was like he was a boy again, living with his brother. He had missed Matthew so._

_However, there was an impasse that the two were coming to, that came one night, as William sat down beside Alfred, the American Undead still unable to see._

" _Alfred, I have your glasses." The man said, giving Alfred a thing, and Alfred eagerly took them, putting them on his face and sighing in relief upon being able to clearly see once again._

_However, he didn't look at Alfred, the Undead noticed, and Alfred was concerned._

" _You're not a Damphir, are you, Alfred? You're also not just his son, are you?"_

_Alfred looked to William, and sighed. "So you figured me out. Well, I suppose we're at an impasse. Are you going to attack me?"_

" _You haven't run." William said, looking away from Alfred, sighing._

" _No, though you do not have any weapons on your person, and neither have you, William- even though I am at a severe advantage. Perhaps I have not left for the same reason."_

" _Why did you lie to me?" The human asked, his voice void of emotion, unable to face the Undead._

" _Would you have spared me otherwise?" He asked, sighing. "I was correct in everything else I said, simply not revealing what I was. I cannot teleport. I am a fledgling still, I am not that powerful- yet."_

" _You could have left me at any point- could have killed me at any point. Why didn't you?"_

" _I didn't want to, William. I only killed…Matthew, because…he had encountered a fate worse than death." Alfred admitted. "He was my brother, and my best friend. I couldn't…I couldn't let him live like that."_

" _So it is true- you are Alfred F. Jones- my great uncle."_

" _I will not deny it, William." He agreed. "Everything else I have said- it is true. All of it." He sighed._

" _It reminded me of when Matthew and I were boys- you're very much like your grandfather- you know." Alfred laughed a bit, though it was sad. "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him, however, as his soul was released, he told me that he would find me someday." Alfred looked to the sky. "I do not know whether or not I want it to be true."_

" _What if it was?" William said, turning around to face Alfred, and the Undead looked upon the face of the man, near identical to Matthew in every way. "Alfred… what if it was true, that…. Matthew came back for you? Would there be a way to…save you, change you back?"_

_The Undead sighed. "William…you're much like your grandfather, but…I do not think there is a way to save my undead soul. I have been damned- from the moment the Lord Francis Bonnefoy shot me through the chest, drained me of my blood and exchanged his own in return."_

_Alfred didn't look at him again. "I must go." Alfred murmured. "William…please, do not…. Do not come after me unless you desire to kill me. There is no saving an Undead. Your life would be better spent living and loving those who are alive."_

_And with that, Alfred stood, looking at the man, who looked dejected, and uncertain, before he walked away._

_And William let him, William Jones, a hunter of his kind, let Alfred F. Jones walk away- Alfred F. Jones, both his destined brother and a future Lord of the Undead._

_William Jones, the reincarnation of Matthew Jones, would die in the hopes of being able to come back and be with Alfred- if not to save him, than to_ _**become** _ _like him and live for eternity as a monster. He passed in 1734._

 _On July 1_ _st_ _, 1996, Matthew Williams was born to a descendent of Matthew Jones, and William Jones, in French Canada._


	4. Let The Right One In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur hesitates about his relationship with Alfred, and the vampire misinterprets. Meanwhile, other sources are at play, moving items in the background like puppets.

Of course, Arthur was released a few days after the surgery, but as it stood, he would need watching, and lots of time off work- the human wasn't happy with this information in the slightest bit, either.

And, the reason was obvious to Arthur- he was not able to work. Unlike Alfred, he wasn't capable of going a few hours staring at a brightly lit computer screen. He needed sunglasses to wear outside, since the pounding sun gave him an awful headache! How could he return to his life, his passion in the field if he was so injured by a little bright light?

And that wasn't even  _mentioning_ the god-awful fact he needed to be  _pushed_  in order to get back to his home. He wasn't even able to walk in his current condition! Arthur found the whole idea of not being able to move around on his own emasculating and unnerving!

Alfred was plenty willing to bring Arthur to his home, and though the sunlight itched at his skin, it wasn't as awful as it could have been, and he would easily be able to replace his blood supply, with his cute little human pet- who was so sensitive about all of it. He hadn't wanted to go to Alfred's home, much to the vampire's upset, but he was fine with that for the time being- this meant he would have permission to get inside of Arthur's property, and would allow late night visits of the more sinister variety.

He smacked his cheek as his face began to morph into that sinister sort of look- sunlight was  _horrifically_  draining to the vampire, even now, with all the power he had at his current age, but that was no reason to let his physical appearance slide into the more monstrous side of things.

Arthur, who was being pushed along by Alfred, looked up at the noise of the man slapping himself, and seeing how irritated Alfred looked. He frowned- in the 5 days he had known the other man, he had never seen him look  _irritated_. "Love, are you alright?" He asked, blinking at him in confusion. The whole sight of seeing his face…almost  _contorted_  in displeasure, it was frightening on a very  _base_  level, seeming to come from instinct rather than fact, since Alfred had never hurt him…

"Ah…" Alfred murmured. "Just fine, Arthur. I must say that I can get a little hangry." He said, feigning sheepishness. "Plus I suppose I'm pretty tired- that's what I get, working so much at the hospital..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, as his face morphed back to its most human appearance, Arthur not really able to see the morphing between the sunglasses he was wearing and his brain injury.

However, Alfred became thoughtful at how his body was reacting so negatively to his going out in the light. As it stood, most vampires needed about the same amount of blood in the human body at any one time to make them perfectly sated, of course, they could go far below losing 40% of their blood weight- unlike humans, who would be beyond rescue if they lost that much blood. However, if vampires lost over 80% they were typically in danger of going feral and if they lost over 90% they were in critical danger of outright death. Alfred did his best to make sure he never went below having 55% of a human's blood mass inside of him, but even when he got to that point, he was irritable and far more monstrous. And, the most blood Alfred had ever lost was in the weeks after his transformation- when he was going through blood faster than he did now- he had lost 75% of his blood mass and Francis had to bring him some humans to feed off of in order to prevent him from going feral.

As of his current standing, he had gone through about 35% of his blood mass, meaning, he was getting hungry, but wasn't ravenous just yet- though he was getting dangerously close to the percentage where he would stop being so kindly to his human pet's wishes…

However, when Alfred's attention was drawn back down to looking at him, the human was looking rather suspiciously at him. "Alright then…" He murmured, green eyes watching him for a moment longer, before drawing back to looking forward. "Alfred, you're  _awfully_  sunburnt." He pointed out sharply, as he stared forward. "Are you alright?" The question was one of worry, but there was no concern in it in the slightest.

Alfred laughed. "Yeah! Just fine! My body just is  _not_  a huge fan of the sun, Artie." He laughed, playing up his "stupidly charming" side for the sake of calming the human in front of him, but it didn't seem to work- oh well. He had plenty of other tricks up his sleeve for addressing this particular dilemma.

"Why?" The human asked, his question poised with an elegantly raised brow, looking back to stare at him once again, green eyes intense behind the tinted black sunglasses the human required to wear to be out in the bright sunlight, as he seemed to pick Alfred apart with his gaze.

The vampire stared, and he chuckled a bit. "Damn, I thought that would be obvious! I'm a vampire,  _duh_!" He said with a bright smile, excited, at which Arthur snorted in amusement, waving off his answer.

"My, my…my very own Edward Cullen." Arthur said, bemused, chuckling again as his suspicions were firmly seated back down, and Alfred grinned at him, laughing. The best way Alfred had found to fool humans into thinking he wasn't a member of the blood sucking Undead, was to state outright he was. They almost always thought it was a joke, and so wouldn't be so suspicious of it later on.

"No, but I  _do_  have a bad sun allergy." He said, winking at Arthur a bit as he fanned himself. "It's super unfortunate, 'cause I really, really like being outside! But so be it." Alfred shrugged, easygoing about it. After all, it had been a  _very_ long time since he had become used to the concept of never being able to be comfortable in the light of the sun, ever again. He did his best to ignore it especially now that the sun wouldn't kill him outright, meaning he could spend some time in the warmth of the sun- though not much.

Arthur looked a bit embarrassed, and the human suggested that they hurry to get inside. "I don't particularly like the thought that I'm causing you that awful looking sunburn…" The vampire gave his ready agreement to speed up, glad to pick up a faster pace as he pushed Arthur along.

"Naw, don't worry about it so much! Doctors say it's a polymorphous light eruption, or sun poisoning. They told me I inherited it." Alfred easily told him the small lie, since he had already revealed the truth and if he had believed the truth, Arthur would know he had inherited his sun-aversion from Francis Bonnefoy, his vampire progenitor.

"How on  _earth_  did you work in the Middle East?" Arthur asked as he snapped back around to face Alfred head-on, looking extremely confused-though, rightfully so- and Alfred laughed at his rather cute, befuddled face.

" _Well_ , most of my body was covered with heavy clothes!" He reminded. "Have you  _seen_  the US army's modern uniform! I was  _totally_  covered." Alfred's hands briefly let go of Arthur's wheelchair, in order to point out that he was showing a lot of bare skin at the moment. "Right now? Not so much! So I'm getting a lil' burnt. My own fault, for not wearing more to cover myself."

The two went quiet for a bit, as Alfred rolled Arthur down the street, the human having insisted to Alfred that his house wasn't that far on foot. It was good that Alfred wasn't human- Arthur was awfully heavy in that wheelchair, and it was rather hot out. He rather enjoyed the mutual silence, until Arthur broke it.

"Well, what really gave you away as to still being human was the whole thing with calling yourself a  _vampire_." Arthur said, attempting to be conversational, and Alfred, pleased with his chosen topic, smiled down at the back of the man's head before him, knowing the history of their species name exceptionally well. He had lived the history- after all; of  _course_  he knew it well. However, he preferred to hear it from someone else for the time being, always finding it funny when humans talked about him and his kind.

The vampire stared at his human, amused as he raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Why does calling a sun-averse bloodsucker a vampire reveal me to not be one? Isn't that the popular term for them?" He asked, playing right along with Arthur.

Arthur harrumphed, pleased with his knowledge and chance to teach someone else about it. "Well, vampire is a term that came around long after myths of them existed. It's suspected that the English word came about in the 18th century, possibly derived from French or German words, which in  _themselves_  were derived from Slavic words."

Alfred smiled at him, nodding in thought. "Wow, that's super cool." He said, playing right along. "I mean, what were they called before?"

The other blonde was delighted to share this information as the two of them trudged along in the sun. "I-I mean, all sorts of cultures had words for them, and the really interesting piece is that they're all so similar- all feature blood thirsty dead persons, who fear the sun and religion."

The blue eyed man had to pause, and laugh. "Well, that might simply be because most cultures have an aversion to eating our own kind, correct? How scary of a myth is that? A beast, which takes the body of one of our own dead, and then feeds off the living?" He pointed out. "That's likely the reason its so common- like how most religions have a story of a God that almost nearly mirrors Christ's own story." He pointed out. "It's likely just a common thing because we are all scared of such beasts."

Arthur looked astounded. "You know- that's one of the most intelligent things I've heard you say, Alfred. You're probably right. It's probably just a shared item that all humans come to fear- an aversion to killing each other to eat our own flesh." He blinked again, laughing. "I hadn't thought of that- but I suppose it's far more interesting to imagine that they were a real item, rather than just mythical being that can be explained away as a mutually terrifying idea. A monster shaped like a man."

The vampire hummed slowly; always amused to hear about how humans thought he was a myth- after all, he had  _just_  fed from this human who was claiming so now, only a few days after being fed from! But Alfred's strength gave him powers of hypnosis that weren't necessarily inherent in being a vampire, and so he had manipulated the human pet into trapping himself in Alfred's web, the man a metaphorical spider waiting to devour his weakly struggling prey.

Looking back at Alfred again, the man saw for the second time a more dark expression on the other's exceedingly attractive face, and he didn't understand why it terrified him so much on such an instinctive level. What was Alfred so scary? The hair on the back of his neck stood, his heart beat fast, and his stomach dropped as he saw Alfred's slightly… _predatory_  dark blue eyes.

Arthur turned away from where he had been looking at him, biting his lip. Was Alfred everything he seemed to be? The man had been  _awfully_  insistent in wanting Arthur to go back to his home… what if Alfred was some sort of serial killer? That wouldn't check out with the fact he volunteered at the hospital, and the staff all seemed to generally like him…but something itched deep inside of Arthur that warned him against trusting Alfred, yet something even deeper told him to ignore that feeling.

What was  _wrong_  with him? Arthur was usually very straightforward with his emotions and feelings about people- he either liked them or he didn't, either knew that they were trustworthy or thought them to be liars. Arthur had always been a man of certainty, and had always trusted his gut. He never wavered on his thoughts or actions.

But when it came to Alfred…. he just didn't know what to believe, his instincts screamed that this man wasn't one to be trusted, but his gut told him that he wanted to be around him, with him, to  _love_  him.

It was all rather contradictory, that was for sure.

It left Arthur wondering why he was so…. off-put by the man. And he couldn't place why he was feeling conflicted for the first time in his life about someone, so he felt even more confused about where the feelings were coming from- not why he was feeling that way, but what had made him split so much from his usual manner of acting that it was so… unsure?

Alfred had been calling his name, and Arthur jumped a bit once he realized, before he turned around to face him. "Ahh...sorry, love." Arthur said after a moment more, blinking at the ground that Alfred was wheeling him over. "I don't know what's gotten into me- I suppose it could be the brain injury…but…" He sighed, hesitant. "Perhaps we shouldn't rush into anything." Arthur murmured as he stared at the floor.

What. The. Fuck.

The centuries old vampire had  _never_  encountered a human who was attracted to him physically and enchained to him mentally to  _hesitate_  over his orders! Good Lord of the Damned! He frowned, surprised at Arthur's sudden drawback.

"Oh." He mumbled, gulping before he laughed a bit sheepishly. "Well, alright then! I don't mind that!" He lied, though it was obvious in his voice that he was upset. He highlighted the upset over angry, so that Arthur might think he was upset about getting recoil in the romantic sense rather than the fact it would be harder to feed from his pet.

The police officer recognized the upset quickly, and he did feel guilty- Alfred was likely just a young man who had really put himself out there to Arthur and Arthur had shut it down. He felt  _old_ \- where was his spontaneity? He was only a year older than Alfred, for heaven's sake. Alfred clearly had wanted a good romp- and Arthur had been heartily following him under the same idea for the most part of this week! Yes, he felt uncomfortable, but….

He would trust himself, Arthur decided. He wasn't up for that.

"I would feel most comfortable if you help me inside my home, and then…" He sighed. "Well. Wait for the dust to settle, I guess? I just think we might have rushed and…I don't think that's what I want."

A quick look back at Alfred revealed confusion and upset, and the he agreed quietly. "If that's what you want, Arthur." He said readily, nodding even as Arthur's insides screamed at him for being foolish. This just seemed like the better answer…the only appropriate solution. He wasn't telling Alfred  _no_ …he was telling him to wait. It seemed entirely reasonable, and even intelligent of him to ask that the 23 year old wait! He needed to figure out his own feelings, and then get back to him!

They walked in silence for the rest of the way to his home- a quiet that was imposed by Arthur, but easily followed by Alfred.

The human had denied him. The human had denied him! It was absurd! It was insane! He had been told  _no_! They  _didn't_  tell him no! It was insane to think that it had happened, that a human had defied his desires!

The vampire's mental monologue went on and on inside his mind, until Arthur told him that they had reached his home. It was small, and Alfred frowned a bit- he would need to present a smaller home in order to fit in…feh. Stupid property prices- humans were never happy with how much money they had- those at the top were the real leeches of the world, and that was saying something coming from a creature who lived off of blood of lesser beings…

Arthur thanked him as Alfred put him inside; giving the officer his medication and reminding him sharply about check ups for his surgery over the next few weeks, and then took his leave. The human had given him his permission to enter his home, and should Alfred desire to drink from him, it would be an available option. However, no point in making frequent visits if he wasn't going to get sex out of it.

He sighed. Alfred  _was_  actually horny…. All that build up between him and Arthur, and for what? To be told no for the first time in his immortal existence by his prey? It  _sucked_.

And so, the vampire left, covering his skin as best as he could as he walked back to his estate. What a poor outcome, for them both…

XXXXX

A vampire's estate was an extension of themselves- that was to say, commonly if a vampire was to die; their homes would burn or disintegrate altogether. Francis' explanation of why that happened was that it protected other free vampires in the case of a hunter killing the homeowner. However, typically killing a vampire Lord would kill their Court as well- any lower level vampires who had been turned by that vampire or had otherwise come to be under their thumb.

Alfred's own was a mansion in the middle of New York, having moved from his birth home centuries before. It was commonly seen as beautiful, and an antique. He had become so tired of humans questioning how it had come into his possession that he would wipe the memory of any person who sought out his property, save his pets. There were no pictures of it online, nor any mentions to it. He was essentially off the grid. It was an address with no end result to it.

And within its halls were all the research and belongings Alfred had accumulated in his own long life- portraits of himself were a stereotypical must, but he had also come to save historical documents that would otherwise be lost to time and human cruelty. He had used his home as a part of the Underground Railroad, as a final leg in a long journey, and he had only asked that they leave him with their stories.

Gilbert told him stories of how he had sheltered as many humans as he could during atrocities in World War II, but Francis did not do the same…As Gilbert had said, some vampires allowed all their humanity to leave them- but the albino was also somewhat of a "bible thumper"…though, thankfully despite how he became a vampire just 10 years after Alfred's own transformation, the man was rather socially progressive and did his best to stick with modern thought.

And, no matter how disparagingly Alfred thought of Gilbert- he was just jealous. The vampire maintained that God turned him into this because of his choice to commit suicide. He had remained devoted, and strangely, was unharmed by holy grounds, water, and crosses. He had also survived a staking, something that had never happened before in the history of the Undead. It did paint him as a strange "Holy Vampire," but not many others had kept to their respective faiths.

Francis certainly hadn't, and he disliked how Gilbert seemed to believe that God had their best interests in mind. Then again, Alfred could hardly blame him for his anger at the divine lord that was painted against them… after all, God, whatever he was like, had killed Jeanne D'Arc, the only human that the vampire could claim to ever loving since his birth.

However, as Alfred finally got himself settled, preparing to relax and recollect himself after using so much of his blood supply walking a human to their home for nothing.

However, that was when the vampire heard a knock on his door.

Alfred raised a curious eyebrow. He didn't have any scheduled visits from other vampires… Nor did many humans find their way around to this part unless Alfred had given them the address.

The centuries old vampire  _was_ occasionally a victim of any rendition of ding-dong-ditch, after all, he did find that many children frequented this part of town, since it was "safe" for them to play where no adults ever came around. Truth be told, Alfred didn't mind that much- he tried to keep an eye on them when they were in his midst so that if they got into something over their heads they would have an older adult be able to call for help. He actually enjoyed the presence of kids, and wouldn't do anything to hurt them.

As he looked out his peephole, he saw something that shocked him to his core, taking off his glasses to wipe them, before putting them right back on to stare out once more.

"Um, hi?" The human smiled a bit upwards, trying to communicate through the door. It was human for sure; Alfred could feel the pitiful creature's racing heart. "I-I'm excited to be here…I thought you were just going to give me a fake address or something…but I'm here! Ready to party! Uhm." The man before him blushed, fiddling with his shirt.

Alfred stared for a while longer, uncertain of what to do with the college-aged man…

"I hope this is the right house…" He gulped, gripping his arms. "Otherwise I just went up to some creepy looking mansion assuming it was a frat house…"

"You did." Alfred said with obvious amusement through the door, and the young man jumped, yelping a bit and having to adjust his glasses.

"O-oh…I'm sorry sir!" He said, extremely embarrassed. "I go to the college in downtown! My friends told me there would be a party here…"

Alfred snorted. "Looks like you have shitty friends. This place doesn't even pop up on Google Maps as anything other than the end of a street." The vampire admitted, opening his door a bit.

A familiar pair of blue-violet eyes caught Alfred's as the vampire opened the door, the young human fiddling with his shirt again. "They're not shitty…" He defended weakly. "I'm probably just…not a fun person to hang around."

"What! Totally calling bullshit there bro." Alfred finished opening his door, propping it open with his foot for a moment. "You just knocked on one of the creepiest places in this city expecting a party! That's pretty cool to me!" He grinned as he stepped outside, the two about the same in height. "My name's Alfred F. Jones, this is my inherited place from my parents! Wanna come in?" He invited cordially, and the human looked flustered, but grateful for the invitation.

"Ah…I'm Matthew Williams." He said, nodding as he ducked into the vampire's estate, looking around awestruck at how fancy it was on the inside.

Alfred nodded thoughtfully. "Nice to meet you Matthew! Are you a freshmen over at NYU?" He asked, grinning.

The teen shook his head, blushing. "No, I'm on study abroad..." He admitted quietly, "I'm a second year at the University of Quebec…"

"Oh cool! You speak French then?" He asked, bringing them to his living room. "An old friend of mine does! I can occasionally understand him, but it mostly goes right over my head!"

"Yes!" Matthew said, excited. "I do, but uhm…." He paused, looking around. "Is it okay with your parents if I came in…?" He asked, being overly polite- but that was something Matthew had done when he was young and uncertain.

"My parents are dead." Alfred said, shrugging. "I'm 23, this is my inheritance…" He explained.

"Oh!" Matthew looked horrified. "I'm so sorry!" He said, immediately flustered.

Alfred quickly raised his hands and tried to calm him down. "Hey! It's okay- I'm not mad or anything- they've been dead for a  _long_  time!" Alfred said, thinking to himself about how it was longer than Matthew could even guess without knowing Alfred was a centuries old vampire.

Matthew nodded, though he still looked rather ill at ease with the knowledge. "I'm sorry…I didn't meant to assume anything." The Canadian said slowly, biting his lip.

"Would you like some tea?" Alfred offered, since he was both willing and able to consume  _some_  liquids fitting for human consumption, and Matthew agreed quietly.

The vampire sat him down in his living room, getting a teapot on, before sitting down with him. "You know, you shouldn't let those frat boys mess with you- they're just trying to ditch you…so, let them! There are tons of people out there who would make better friends."

The younger sighed, looking at his hands. "That's easy for you to say- you seem really,  _really_  charismatic…" He mumbled. "I've never been all that likable- I don't know why…"

Alfred pat his back affectionately. "Well, I like you well enough, Matthew!" He said, brightly.

His words drew a tentative smile from the young human. "Oh…thanks." He murmured. "This is a really big house you have…I know you said its an inheritance, but its weird this place isn't a museum or something…" Matthew said, looking around with big eyes.

"Which is  _precisely_  why I go to great lengths to ensure it's not taken from me!" Alfred said, nodding. "This home has been in my family for generations, I'd hate to lose it and what resides in it!"

Matthew stared, before nodding in sudden understanding. "Oh…I suppose that they could try and pressure you into selling the property, couldn't they…?" He looked around, amazed. "There's a lot of old stuff in here…"

Alfred grinned. "We've been in the US since before the Revolution! My family came over with the Puritans in Massachusetts, they moved here after the Revolution." He explained, giving the rather obvious reincarnation of his twin brother a half-truth.

"Wow, that's super cool… I lost a lot of my family records, but…we know we're also a pretty old family- we moved to Canada in the 1720s!" He said, smiling as he revealed this. "The first name we have on record is William Jones…"

"Oh- that's interesting! When did you lose the last name?" Alfred said, recognizing this reincarnation of his human twin and all-too likely William- the vampire hunter himself- hummed, thinking back.

"Over a hundred years ago, I think." Matthew said, shrugging. "The last Jones descendent was a woman, and married a wealthy man with the last name, "Williams".

"That's cool!" Alfred grinned. "I wonder if we're long-lost family relatives! I know there was a William Jones was the descendent of Matthew Jones, the twin brother of the man who headed my family line!" He said, revealing this information gladly- most college students didn't question how people knew all that long family history. It was similar to their consistent problem of fact checking, but it worked in Alfred's favor rather consistently, especially at moments like this.

"We do look kind of similar…" Matthew said, looking Alfred over. "That's weird." The human laughed a bit. "It'd be cool if we were… you're so much older than me, and so much better off than me…" He sighed, looking dejected. "College is so expensive…"

Alfred laughed obnoxiously. "Bro, that's why I did military service!" He said, bright. "College is paid for!"

"But that's if you're a US citizen…" Matthew grumbled, looking away in mild irritation, even as Alfred duly ignored it and roughly pat his back. No matter what Alfred said or even thought about humans, sometimes the company was nice. Particularly since it reminded him starkly of the happy days right before he was shot and transformed by Francis in the 1630s.

He remembered very well how happy they had been before he had died- before he had been transformed into what he was now. He remembered the very last conversation they had shared until long after Alfred was thought dead- the last they had shared when they had both been human.

" _Alfred! Stop that!" Matthew had whined at him, his twin rubbing at his bottom where Alfred had whipped it with a wet sheet. "Mother doesn't like it when you do that!"_

" _Mother's not here, Matthew!" He had just turned 19, and the world was in front of him- he was very lucky to be born here, in the New World, where his family was just starting to make a name for themselves. Certainly, there were aspects of it that upset him, but he was happy. He was free to do as he pleased for the most part._

_His younger brother smiled at him, only a little tired of his antics. "Alfred, you should cut that out, you could wind up tearing the bed sheets mom told us to wash…."_

" _Like I care!" He had said with a bright smile on his face. "I'm a grown adult! I already know Father is working on getting the dowry from the Rose girl's family down the way, one of the new ones from England? Yeah, I'm going to be married, and have a_ _ **huge**_ _family!" He said, teasingly. Matthew sighed._

" _I know, Alfred…they told us at dinner last night that her family was desiring an arranged marriage with you, along with how I was also being scouted out by another family…" Matthew said, long-suffering. Alfred only laughed again._

" _Look at that, Mattie. You and I are the start of a new world, a new bloodline! I bet you'll be a great father!" He said, nodding enthusiastically._

" _I know you will be." Matthew's lips had tweaked to one side. "Kids love you, and you love them…"_

" _I can't wait to be a dad!" He agreed. "I mean, our dad was_ _ **way**_ _too strict, I always felt that God was something that would be with us no matter what, so, I plan on raising my kids like that!"_

_Matthew's amused grin had returned, rolling his eyes. "Go get the water from the well-I'll finish this laundry, but you need to replace all that water you wasted…"_

" _Matt!" He had whined, feigning upset at the task even as he picked up the buckets off the ground. "But that's so far away!" He complained as he walked away, Matthew smiling after him._

_The future had been bright in their eyes, but dark in truth._

_Alfred had never made it home that day; a shot in the chest and the draining of his blood supply had put Alfred into a coma for the next few days and ensured that his human relatives would think him dead, and so it had been when Matthew and their father had gone searching for him, and found the bullet, the bloodstains, and the buckets left on the ground from where Alfred had dropped them in shock from being shot._

Matthew had paused, and looked at Alfred in confusion. "Uhm, your pot's done boiling…" the Canadian pointed out quietly, jolting Alfred up off the couch as he suddenly heard the screaming of the teapot from the kitchen.

"Right! Sorry, I was thinking about something!" He said, sheepish. "My bad, I'll go get that." Alfred bounced off the couch, and got up, walking to the kitchen.

It had been a very  _long_  time since he had thought about that day- he had tried his best to forget about it. There was nothing in the past for him; those that he had known at that point had long since died while he had gone on to be greater than any of them had  _ever_  been in life.

He rather mechanically poured the hot water into glasses, bringing them in along with a variety of tea bags for Matthew to choose from.

"Help yourself." Alfred invited graciously, and Matthew ultimately for the English breakfast tea, saying he really needed some caffeine, and Alfred just went for a light white tea, not really wanting the aftereffects of having caffeine in his system.

Well, that meant he couldn't drink from Matthew, but did he even want to? This Matthew was undoubtedly the reincarnation of his brother and William, from looks, to personality, to having been drawn to Alfred one way or another.

It all smelled rather heavily of  _fate_ , and Alfred hated that more than anything else. The vampire Sadiq from the Ottoman Empire had told him frequently that there was no way around it- when you were destined to be with someone, the universe did all it could for you to meet, but there were other strings pulling constantly. He had a relationship with an ancient, long dead Vampire from Greece who had told him much about how the universe worked, being a literal Oracle as well as a vampire who could see the future in all of its forms.

Alfred wished that he could speak to this prophetic Vampress, but again, she was long, long dead  _even_  by vampire time. It might make his life more clear, even as Sadiq's laughing voice that echoed in his head reminded him that  _sometimes, knowing your fate made it even less clear than before_.

The vampire sighed, making the human look to him in confusion, wondering where the urge to know and comfort this man came from, though the urge was deep-seated and powerful inside of his soul he had no knowledge of why that would be.

And so, the two brothers whose lives were intertwined by destiny and Matthew's original desire to be reunited with Alfred sat beside each other, sipping cups of Alfred's tea.

XXXXX

Despite how Arthur loathed needing to be taken care of, he did have one person that he could consistently call on for aid.

"Kiku, thank you for coming on such short notice." Arthur said, relieved to see the Japanese man who was both his peer and friend.

The two had graduated together, Arthur studying forensics in hopes to one day be a detective and Kiku doing it just as well, but with more of a focus in forensic evidence and studying dead bodies rather than Arthur's hopes for detective work.

"It is no problem, Arthur." Kiku said, taking off his shoes as he entered Arthur's home. "I wish you had called me sooner- I have a car, I would have been willing to drive you home- brain surgery is  _serious_ , Arthur." He said, though his chiding was mostly ruined with his amusement of how stubborn Arthur could be.

The Brit grumbled. "You're supposed to take my side…" He muttered. "I still think its insane that they're making me take a  _month_  off of work."

"At the least." Kiku replied quietly as he got into Arthur's kitchen, the Brit stuck on his couch.

"Don't sass me!" Arthur said, unable to get up and defend himself to his friend, who laughed a bit, shaking his head.

"Arthur, you are  _far_  too invested in your work. This is a great time for a vacation- you need one." He said, nodding sagely.

The law enforcer frowned. "That doesn't sound all that much like you, Kiku." Arthur stated, heavily suspicious. "Did your relationship with Heracles go…?"

His friend paused, and went flush, before he nodded. "But do not say anything else about that." Kiku coughed, lightly embarrassed. "I came to fix you dinner- since you are not cooking in your condition." He said, firmly. "Wouldn't your brothers have brought you some food?" He said, confused as he saw the empty pantries.

Now it was Arthur's turn to cough embarrassedly, and Kiku gave the man a sideways glance.

"Your brothers did not take you home?" Kiku asked, the question in itself innocent enough, but Arthur  _knew_  better…

However, helpless to say anything but the truth, he shook his head. "No- I haven't even called my brothers- I told HR, not them, the truth about what's gone on."

The Japanese man's dark brown eyes twinkled in mischief. "Why, Arthur. Who did take you home, then? I do not mean to insult you, however, I know everyone in your social circle, and I was the first to know. And if your brothers don't know, then who took you here?"

Arthur coughed again, biting his lip as he folded his arms. "Well…. your food smells good, Kiku." He said, weakly avoiding the question.

"You do not deny it was another person." Kiku redirected him back to the original question, and Arthur frowned heavily.

"Fine…it was a handsome American." He said, sighing. "His name is Alfred, he volunteers at the hospital." Arthur paused, before he threw his dignity right out the window. "Kiku, to be entirely honest…Alfred isn't handsome so much as he downright god-like. A literal dream boat." The Brit rubbed his temples. "Shit…I got it bad, Kiku…" Arthur muttered, upset at himself.

"I would imagine, if you're going so far as to call him a….'dreamboat'?" He asked, feigning confusion and making Arthur groan at him and his amused smile.

"Kiku! You know what I mean!" He said, frustrated. "We had been flirting all week, and he wanted me to go to his place, but we originally agreed to come here. As you see, though, he's not here. And that's because I told him to leave my home. That I wasn't ready for this."

"He is a dreamboat and you turned him down?" His Japanese friend blinked, actually confused as he tried to sort through that.

"No! Of course not!" Arthur said, upset. "I want to date him, not just have a one night stand."

"Well, what did you say to him?" Kiku's voice was doubtful, and a single eyebrow was raised in disbelief.

Arthur quickly recounted their conversation, detailing his comments on not wanting to rush and waiting for the dust to settle, along with Alfred's strange upset.

"Well, I would be upset as well." Kiku pointed out. "He was trying to come to your home or get you to come to his, and you turn him down altogether on both accounts?" The smaller man shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if you hurt his feelings."

"But I didn't!" Arthur disputed, but when Kiku held up a single hand to quiet him, Arthur listened, nodding as he shut his mouth.

The Japanese man sighed, before asking him. "Did you agree on a time that you would call him?" He asked pointedly, and Arthur's eyes widened in horror.

No. He hadn't. His words, no matter how nicely they were phrased, had simply been along the lines of,  _Thanks for your help, I don't want to have sex with you, nor do I really want to see you again, so get out of my house._

"Oh." Arthur said, his voice practically a squeak at that point, his face turning red from mortification. He had wondered why Alfred had reminded him to take his medication and go to his doctors appointments as well as why the American hadn't texted him at all.

And no wonder- Alfred had probably been taken aback at how suddenly Arthur had turned things sour.

"Come now." Kiku said, rubbing his temples. "I have made you food, and you  _will_  eat it."

It wasn't quite 6 in the evening yet, but Arthur was so sick of himself that he couldn't find the will to eat Kiku's rather delicious food.

Well,  _shit._  It was time for some good old-fashioned drinking that night, wasn't it!

XXXXX

After Matthew left that night with Alfred's phone number programmed into his contacts along with his address, Alfred soon sank back in to his more…instinctual urges.

 _ **Food**_.

The vampire needed to feed, and it would be the best solution if he found Arthur and drank from him. If he caught him early, the human wouldn't be taking his medication and so Alfred would easily feast on his blood.

Though, once again, Alfred had no intention of killing him- of course he didn't have that intention, since killing him would incriminate him for human police. He had been the person to take Arthur to his house and likely the last person he had been in contact with.

Plus, remaking birth certificates and education degrees was hard work, and Alfred wasn't in the mood for all that tediousness when he had a few more years to squeeze out of his current identity and information.

If the human DMV was annoying, slow and outdated, just imagine the vampiric version of it, he commonly told younger vampires and fledglings at official meetings.

Then again, there weren't that many new vampires any more. As it turned out, as time had gone on, fewer vampires were being made and more vampires were dying. Perhaps, in the entire world of over 7 billion people, there were  _maybe_ 1000 vampires altogether- and perhaps only 150 of them were worth talking to, maybe 30 of them were actually both of good status and had powers that made them formidable for both humans and vampires.

Alfred happened to be one of those 30 who were strong enough to deserve a reputation in their community. It made places like the ancient Library very lonely- at one point in time; vampires had outnumbered people in plenty of places across the world. But they were antiquated both in concept and in practice, and so had been picked off by humans intelligent enough to find and kill them.

It was an unfortunate reality, but Alfred had accepted it like the rest of the survivors of his kind. Those who didn't subscribe to that reality were soon killed- wiped utterly from existence and deleted from history.

But Alfred's mental thought had gotten off topic once again- Arthur was waiting for him, at his home. And so Alfred left with every intention of getting a meal, using his telepathic forces and levitation to fly to where he knew Arthur to live.

Imagine his total surprise when the human wasn't at his home at all at 11 that night, leaving Alfred confused and…just  _slightly_  concerned for the human- particularly because Alfred knew exactly whose power he was sensing in his city right now, and it upset him slightly.

While Alfred was on good terms with most of the other 29 vampires who were powerful enough to deserve to be on the council, there was one who…despite everything that others had done, had never gotten along with Alfred.

The cause for this, the Vampress Elizabeta had guessed in a meeting when the vampire had first shown up to the council, demanding a seat (to usurp Alfred) was that the two were about the same power- it was a very even match, and since no two predators can occupy the same biological  _niche_ , of course they were going to battle for dominance.

But…it wasn't good. Why had  _that_  vampire come to Alfred's turf…?

What were his intentions?

And where was Arthur?

XXXXX

"Ugh… I can't believe this…" Whilst Alfred had just left his home, Arthur was busy guzzling down some alcohol at a gay bar in downtown New York- it was the only thing the whole bloody United States was good for! Alcohol! Something in the back of his mind reminded him that it wasn't a smart idea to mix his pain medications and alcohol, but he ignored it altogether.

There were strippers and flashing lights and loud music, and Arthur's head was already pounding- what was the harm in adding some alcoholic insurance to his pain medication's policies that weren't working as well as he hoped they would.

Kiku had been very, very right. If a bloke who had been flirting with so heavily for a week had turned him down at the last minute claiming that he needed time, with no guaranteed point where they would be able to get to the sex that they had been discussing so much for the last week, of course Arthur wouldn't want to pursue them. He would do exactly what he suspected Alfred of doing: which was, of course, to find other, more open options to have a good go with.

The worst part was that he couldn't even blame Alfred, after all, he did just admit that he would think the same thing- that he wasn't interested and so wasn't a good option to have sex with or potentially even date.

The contact in Alfred's phone stared at him. He had left the page open for the last 10 minutes, not even allowing the screen to dim.

" _Hot American who is definitely flirting with you_ " Alfred's note in the contact read, and it included a selfie that the American had set as his contact image, smiling brightly and winking with only one intense blue eye staring at him.

He sighed, despondent.

Arthur hadn't meant that he didn't want to date him, but now that he knew that was probably how it came off to Alfred, he didn't even have the guts to call him and ask him over. He had simply meant that he actually  _really_  liked Alfred, and he wanted to wait on the sex until after they had gone on a few actual dates that weren't in the hospital.

And Alfred was everything that Arthur had ever possibly wanted- he was bright and happy, a nice change from Arthur's usual gloomy and grumpy attitude. He was smart and loyal, two traits that were always nice to see in lovers along with potential romantic partners. The younger man was attractive- and the word couldn't possibly dare to capture how utterly handsome the smug bastard was. From his handsomely chiseled face down to his perfectly sculpted muscles, Alfred looked as though he was made from only the purest of marble, appearing as a Greek statue of a God, but instead of cold white eyes, there were striking sapphire inserts in his face, that glowed with life and vitality.

Alfred was his ideal lover, and husband.

But, Arthur had  _ruined_  it. Ruined  _them_ , the idea of them together as not only a one night stand but also as a coupling- quite possibly for good.

His finger hovered over the  _delete contact_  button again, before he pulled it away and turned his phone off, sighing deeply as he shoved it back into his pocket.

The man had decided that he shouldn't do anything rash- he knew that he was drunk, after all…

However, now that Alfred wasn't going to be in his near future- honestly, not in  _any_  of his future unfortunately…Arthur had a problem- he was off work for the next month, if not far longer all because of the injury and brain surgery! Yes, being alive was better than being dead, but as it stood, Arthur had no purpose! To deal with his constant unhappiness, Arthur threw himself into his work, and took out all his frustrations there. However, he couldn't go back to work knowing that if he were put in the field, he would be a constant liability and danger to his coworkers and civilians.

So, Arthur agreed to stay off work. It was going to be awfully boring though, especially since he had scared off his cute little American distraction.

His instincts were long since dulled by the alcohol- his fears regarding Alfred's true intentions had long since left- perhaps since before he had even come here, after talking with Kiku. The Brit took out his phone once again, and stared at Alfred's contact page, with his picture, the phone number, and his note….

And his address- Arthur noted, his interests piqued by how this had been included as well. Perhaps Alfred had been more serious with wanting a relationship that Arthur had ever given him credit for…

He sighed, looking at the page, wondering if he should try and go there, or if it was better to let this slide. It had only been one night. He had left the hospital with him this morning- it hadn't even been 24 hours since they had parted ways- and it wasn't a break up or anything of the sorts. He could just…call him tomorrow. Get together with him.

Arthur sighed, thoughtful. "What to do." He murmured as he closed his phone screen once again.

"What to do indeed." Another, unfamiliar voice came from the side, and Arthur jumped- he hadn't even heard the man coming close, and now that he was here, all Arthur really noticed was that he was big, burly, Russian…and had that same sort of…terrifying aura that Alfred occasionally had around him that terrified Arthur's through to his core and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight.

Except this man didn't have that internal desire of wanting him, this man was just…scary. He didn't like this, but he was alone and had drank far too much to do anything- if this man was going to hurt him, Arthur had nothing on him that he could defend himself with, no one nearby he could yell for help from….

If this man was as dangerous as his instinct was screaming at him for being, then Arthur Kirkland was in a lot of trouble.

The man only smiled at him, enigmatically.

"Hello, Arthur Kirkland." The man said, his accent thick and voice low, gravelly, his purple eyes seeming to be tinged by red. "My name is Ivan Braginsky." He paused, looking down at Arthur as though Arthur was a bug or a chess pawn…

"I know that you doubt how truthful Alfred F. Jones is." He said, smiling a bit, a laugh in his eyes that was the complete opposite of joyous.

"H-how do you know all of that?" Arthur said, his voice and body shaking in fright.

The Russian,  _Ivan_ didn't answer his question, only pausing in thought, before he answered with a wide, unkind smile.

" _It would be in your best interest if you were not to trust him."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens! Thanks to eveyone whose reading this, if you enjoyed please drop a comment for me!


	5. Interlude with a Vampire ( iii )- Vampire Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Side Story explaining the Vampire Society and telling you more about some familiar faces you're bound to see again! Includes the history of Ivan Braginsky, Soviet Made Vampire.

" _Goddammit, Francis." Alfred was muttering, tired as he got out of his coffin from yet another journey across the Atlantic. "I_ _ **hate**_ _humans sometimes."_

" _Glad to see you're getting on the same page as me, my little protégé." Francis said, amused with him and his sudden apathy._

_Alfred's eyes glared at him, his fangs sticking out a bit, and Francis only chortled. "Ah, so I see you didn't take enough blood before making the journey with me." The Frenchmen said, gesturing for Alfred to stick close to him. "I told you that you did not need to come."_

_The 18_ _th_ _Century had finally rolled around, and Alfred and Francis had gone overseas to a meeting of Undead in the Austro-Hungarian controlled Transylvania. That had required an unfortunately long and tedious journey across the Atlantic and through the Mediterranean, as well as the Black Sea. However, now they were here- and Alfred was irritable and hungry._

" _Please, do refrain from eating the humans here." Francis said as he saw Alfred's blue eyes starting to glow red._

" _Alright, Francis." Alfred agreed, though it was a sorrowful murmuring- he was hungry, and it was overpowering his original nature. "The Society has humans on stock, do they not?" He asked, and Francis nodded, before speaking thoughtfully on the issue._

" _Though, the Vampire who keeps the humans tame is currently being targeted- his mind controlling abilities have surfaced in the political human sphere." Francis admitted. "He shouldn't have gone bartering their services off. It's likely he'll die in the next year-so take what you want from the human stock. If he dies we must kill them as well anyway."_

_Alfred looked at him, once again so horrifically reminded of how inhumane Francis was, but even as his more human morals screamed at this outrage, his bloodlust triumphed over them, and he purred at the knowledge he would be able to take more than he needed from the humans._

XXXXX

_The vampire in charge of the humans was an odd fellow. He was an older vampire, as in physically older. He had been turned in his late forties, as a pureblood. He never had told anyone why he had turned, he just showed up to vampire society and told them that he was one of them. That had been back in the early 17th_ _century- around the time Alfred was born as a human._

_His name was Lord Kirk Archer, and he didn't speak much. He had muted green eyes, and would get into loud and frantic battles with Francis. Kirk was a British Vampire, and so represented that territory in the Society._

_Strangely-for as much as Kirk fought with his originator, Francis- the vampire was always kindly to Alfred. He was muted, yes. But he was kind._

_This encounter was no different. Francis had decided not to deal with the bothersome vampire and their fights, and so had already gone to the meeting._

" _Is it true, what they say, Kirk?" Alfred asked him, and the old vampire nodded slowly._

" _Indeed, Love." Kirk said, looking to the side. "They've found me out, there's a prize on my head for it."_

" _Did you really go selling your services to the humans?" Alfred simply had to ask, boggled by it. "Didn't you know that would get you caught? Humans are stupidly superstitious things, don't you know?"_

" _They have every right to be suspicious of me, so don't go calling them stupid." Kirk said with a smile playing on the edge of his lips._

" _Don't you know you'll die?" And Alfred's words filled the room, since there was only silence for the next moment or two._

_Kirk's green eyes and wrinkled face stared at him, and he smiled sadly. "Love, you don't really care what happens to me. I'll die, yes. Perhaps that is what I want."_

" _It's not what you want." Alfred immediately argued, frowning. "I can_ _ **hear**_ _you thinking otherwise." However, Alfred felt Kirk's mental barrier go up at him, and he winced._

" _My love, what I want, I can never have." He said, before gesturing a human to walk over at him. "Kill him, don't kill him, it'll all be the same in the end." Kirk's voice was still soft. "Humans are fragile creatures, and this one is doomed along with me."_

XXXXX

_The meeting was easy enough to be at. There were less than 50 or so vampires who were on the council, and Alfred was its newest member, number 45._

_The most notable names were Francis Bonnefoy, Erzebet Hedervary, Gilbert Beilschmidt, Sadiq Adnan,_   _Feliks Łukasiewicz, Erika Vogel, Wang Yao, Kirk Archer, Caesar Vargas as well as his two pureblooded grandchildren (Who were honestly still children) Feliciano and Lovino Vargas, and the pureblooded children of dead vampires, Heracles Karpusi and Gupta Muhammad Hassan._

_Caesar, Sadiq, and Yao headed the meeting, the oldest vampires among the society._

_The society of vampires only spoke of two things- one, when and how to align with humans, and two, how many vampires could they afford to make that year._

_As Caesar frequently mentioned during meetings- vampires were a rapidly dying breed as humanity spread towards industrialization._

_Caesar himself was an old fellow, a vampire turned in his late 40s in the height of the Ancient Roman Empire. He was handsome, and had fathered two pureblooded children only a few hundred years before, and as such, the two were still young physically._

_Sadiq was also an older man, whose life story began in the Byzantine Empire, turned by a powerful Vampress, and he had helped spur on the changes to create the Ottoman Empire. He was kind enough, though he didn't get along that greatly with Heracles._

_Feliks was born in 1347, and though the first thought that jumped to Alfred's mind was of how he must have been transformed by the plague, Feliks disagreed, explaining that his long since dead master and him both were from Poland, which had been relatively unaffected by the plague, and vampires cannot be born from those dying of illness. "Money can be made for those who don't fall ill." Feliks explained. "I, like, went to cities that needed people to bury bodies."_

_Erzebet, or Elizabeta, was turned only 30 years before Alfred, shortly before Gilbert himself. Feliks had turned her, she explained, after the dreaded Elizabeth Bathory had tortured Elizabeta herself. "The wench wasn't a vampire, though some contested otherwise centuries before, Feliks was. And he decided to save me." Elizabeta had recounted. "She was as terrible of a human as they came, and I was very glad to end her life when the chance was given to me."_

_Erika Vogel was a quiet girl, only looking about 17 or so. She explained her husband from an arranged had turned her. "I killed him when I woke up. He was a weaker vampire. I hated him anyway, and I hated him even more at that time. It was easy." Alfred knew to not get on her bad side, at all costs._

_Gilbert was a strange vampire. He wore the cross on his chest and a smile on his face. He would say his transformation was punishment by God for killing himself, and did his best to keep humans safe from vampire activity. In older times, Gilbert had passed himself off as a Damphir, and exposed cruel vampires to their communities so that they would be safe from harm._

_Yao was a young looking Chinese man, who would speak in affectionate insults about how white the Society had become, and explained it simply as how humans were already horrible beasts to those who were different than themselves, let alone when those different were also of another race._

_There was a reason the society was so small, and the reason Caesar, Sadiq, and Yao all cited was colonialism- Europeans and later, Americans, killing their vampiric companions before the Society could even know of them._

_All rather depressing information for a society that already knew that all of its members were damned._

_They had talked about what to do with the humans, and though Alfred wanted to fight for Kirk, the man merely suggested they either kill them or otherwise render them incapable of telling anyone what they had been in._

_Kirk Archer died within the year of Alfred's first year of being in the Society, Alfred only hearing about it second hand, never really knowing the man and so barely feeling anything over the news of his death besides the pang of something he had no reason to feel._

_XXXXX_

_Vampire Society had to decide what they wanted to do in wars. They were powerful, more so than a hundred men. Their strength was exponential as well- if you put many of them in a single room, it spelled certain defeat for whatever opposed them._

_Many of them fought for food. If they were on the battlefield, it was always easy to find those who were already dying. If they were dead, and just dead, they were fair game for Undead to devour. However, it was mostly that they took bits from any men they encountered whilst they slept._

_Some vampires wouldn't fight in human wars at all- Francis did not. He found them entirely unnecessary. Others, like Alfred, were more than willing to participate in them, and even take definite sides. Gilbert almost always fought for Prussia, becoming a loyal soldier in any decade for his country._

_Caesar Vargas had died towards the end of the 1760s, a holy man in Italy having found him out and killed him in his sleep. Thankfully, Feliciano and Lovino were all right, but…the Societies members were being killed._

_Many still battled in human wars. Alfred played no small part in the American Revolution in the 1770s and 1780s._

_It was there he remembered one British Commodore- Commodore James Arthurson, who had a touchable vendetta with Alfred for one reason or the other._

_The man, apart of the British Navy, ended up on soil, and had tracked Alfred down by sheer will. He had been blind at the time, but his green eyes pierced Alfred's being. "You! You are the devil that's been haunting me!" He had shouted, trying to find Alfred. Alfred maneuvered himself around him, letting Arthurson walk in circles._

" _Calm down, will you? I already said I wasn't going to hurt you."_

_The human wasn't right in the head any longer- that much was certain from the first time he saw him, bedraggled as he was. Arthurson was blind and alone and seemed fixated on Alfred, for one reason or another. Of course, Alfred had taken care of Arthurson until the humans death, only 5 years after the war of independence's end. Arthurson had spent most of his days wandering Alfred's estate, with Alfred close by, never drinking from the human, the human never catching on to Alfred's inhumanity, but came to terms with how Alfred had undoubtedly taken care of him close to his death._

_Arthurson had been very badly hurt, a bullet to the brain at some point, as well as a sentence to a death by drowning that also hadn't come to pass._

_Alfred's gentle care had been a mercy, undoubtedly- treating the mentally ill and brain damaged was a horrific thing in those times_

_But, it wasn't just that war- Alfred had a moral position in almost every war he fought in, hating to see human suffering._

_He fought in essentially every war in American history, with some others thrown in to assist the Society._

_However, his connection to the American Revolution was deep, even deeper than his relationship with Commodore Arthurson, because he was the first vampire born there, and he was the first vampire to fight for it, and the first to represent it._

_America was his country, his turf. And he would protect it with every last ounce of his being._

XXXXX

_Much as humans had various personalities, so did the vampires, and of course, with vampires being such a strong group, physically, it was undoubted that at some point, humans would try and use them to their advantage._

_The most notable instance of this was in the Russian Revolution, where the Bolsheviks attempted to create a mass vampire army to defeat the human Bourgeois. However, the High Vampire Society did interfere here, since it was illegal to create more than 10 vampires in a year in a single country at the time._

_Which was why Alfred F. Jones found himself fighting along with Francis for the first time, the Society having passed a resolution, which required all high-powered vampires to fight the growing hordes of Russian Vampires._

" _Like, this is totally uncool." Feliks complained to them, on his third round around the country. "I mean, I understand my power is valuable to figuring out which vampires should be killed and which ones are worth trying to talk with, but, I'm not happy with this."_

" _You don't need to be happy with this, Feliks." Francis grumbled as he finished the preparation for the fire to burn down this stronghold of vampires. "We just need to finish this quickly, and then we can get back to our respective homes. Personally, I'm irritated that I managed to avoid being involved in the Great War as much as I did, and yet, here I am, getting involved in petty human affairs anyway."_

_Alfred raised an eyebrow, and told them to pause- there was one vampire still alive in the building. "I can hear his thoughts- I'm going to go get him."_

_Feliks nodded, heading after Alfred as the two walked through the home that they had attacked and destroyed. Blood coated the walls- from the innards of humans and vampires alike. None of these fledglings had stood a chance to three high-powered vampires, and as Feliks had noted, none of them had any sort of potential for greatness, and as Alfred knew, none of the ones that had attacked them had any free will or even_ _**thought** _ _, outside of killing the intruders._

_Not this one, Alfred felt, the last vampire a fledgling with fear filling its insides. "You know, this one isn't that powerful either? Why bother with it?" Feliks asked, raising an eyebrow._

" _Because, unlike you, who can sense auras, I can hear thoughts." He reminded, raising his eyebrow at the older vampire in irritation. "And, I don't much like killing those who can still think, thank you very much."_

" _Then he has to be the rare anomaly in this case." Feliks said, shaking his head. "Lesser undead aren't wanted here, I don't even see them here. He could be that, I suppose- but again. Mostly I've just heard of them being killed upon transformation- slaves are far easier to deal with and make an army out of."_

_Alfred simply glared at Feliks, and the two walked on in silence._

" _Come out." He said to the fledgling, who was panicking internally over how they were getting closer. "I can hear your thoughts- we won't hurt you if you just talk with us."_

" _Uh, Al." Feliks muttered. "That would have been important to say in the beginning…before we killed everyone else here."_

" _You and I both knew they were mostly slaves." Alfred muttered in displeasure._

_Feliks only rolled his eyes. "Hey, if you want, I can send the big meanie out of the room- you should be able to feel that I'm a lot weaker than him." Alfred grunted, annoyed, but Feliks continued. "He's actually a softie, but, I know he feels strong and you're probably scared- he could easily control you, I'm sure."_

_Alfred shrugged. "Alright, I'll just...walk outside, then?" He said, looking up at the ceiling, and walking away, closing the door behind him so that he could listen closely to the conversation even as he heard thoughts of confusion from the young fledgling._

_He heard shuffling, and then a tentative voice, speaking in Russian. Alfred had studied enough to understand the gist of it._

" _He's gone, right?"_

" _Yep." Feliks agreed in Russian, apparently deciding to speak in the language they both understood, and then there was more shuffling. "He's actually not all that bad, you know? Alfred_ _ **feels**_ _terrifying, but he's actually one of the nicest to humans and fledglings among our kind."_

" _I just woke up…and everyone was dying…" The fledgling murmured, and Alfred heard the dark whispers of need in the back of the young fledgling's mind. "I'm really hungry…"_

" _You just woke up?" Feliks sounded impressed. "Well, that goes along with my original theory- they're only wanting slaves. My guess is, if we hadn't come through, they'd have killed you upon your awakening as a low-level. As for food, I_ _ **think**_ _Alfred has some blood that he snagged from the basement?"_

" _B-blood?" The vampire whimpered, but Alfred could hear his internal monologue, and it was kind of a debate, the dark whispers become loud shouts in his head, regarding NEED and FOOD, but the man's own voice was actually strong in battling it off._

" _I'm Feliks, by the way." The vampire introduced. "What's your name, fledgling?"_

" _Ahh…Toris." He said, forcing the shouts down._

" _Alright then, Toris. Can Alfred come back in?" Feliks asked, softly, and there had to have been some sort of nod, because soon Feliks was shouting for the younger vampire._

_Alfred waited a moment, before pushing the door open._

" _He's hungry." Feliks repeated for the younger vampire, and Alfred noted that the young fledgling had soft green eyes tinted with red, as well as ragged brown hair. He looked incredibly thin, and his fangs were protruding out of his lips._

_Alfred bent down, and handed him a blood bag from the basement. "It's crude, but it'll get you through the night." Alfred said softly, and Toris ripped it from his hands, biting into the leather pouch and suckling it needily. Feliks wrapped his arm around him, and the fledgling instantly responded by leaning against him, happy to do so as he was fed._

" _We should leave." Alfred murmured, and Feliks agreed._

" _Go get Francis, will you? I'll need help carrying him." The older vampire said, his green eyes muted with something Alfred couldn't tell what of._

_It was only a few minutes later that the two others were back, and Feliks was standing, Toris in his grip, still trying to suck the pouch even though it was completely drained._

" _Yikes." Francis said in English as he looked the new vampire over, and Alfred laughed, and the 4 left the estate before Francis caused it to burst into flames._

" _Ah. You three are the ones that I was informed about."  
_

_A new voice came out of the darkness, and Alfred and Francis both directed their attention to where the noise had started from, prepared to protect Feliks and the new fledgling in their care._

" _You are but one fledgling." Francis said, voice strong. "We are 3, fully developed vampires. Do not test us- I know you are one of the ones making this many vampires."_

" _Oh!" The man said in Russian, his smile widening, seeming so off and unnatural on his face, with his fangs protruding out- obviously in hunger. "Is there a Union for that, then?"_

_Alfred felt sick. "No." Francis disagreed. "We are the Society of Vampires, and you are illegally making new ones, at an unsustainable rate. As you can see." Francis gestured to the house, burning. "We are far stronger than even the 400 slaves you had in this house. We are easily able to wipe out any illegal forces- it would be wise if you did not continue associating with your Russian Ilk."_

_The Russian man frowned. "Illegally? What is illegal about it?"_

" _You are a fledgling, meaning someone is behind this plot, right?" Feliks said, slowly, and the other fledgling nodded._

_Alfred's insides were coiled up, something was wrong, but he didn't know what…what was bothering him?_

" _Of course, but please, answer my question? We are the superior beings, are we not?" the man's teeth were out, and long, his purple eyes glowing red in the darkness._

" _Fuck!" Alfred exclaimed. "Francis, we have to get out of here!" He shouted. "He's powerful!"_

_Feliks stared at him, before he felt it too. "Shit." The Polish vampire said, and he tightened his grip on Toris. "He's not just strong. He's hiding an army behind him."_

_Francis stared at them, annoyed and upset he couldn't see it or sense it like they could._

" _My name is Ivan Braginsky." The Russian man purred, voice low. "And your friends are correct, Francis. I have an army. And you would have your best interest tended to if you all left now."_

_Feliks didn't need to be told twice, taking off using his super-enhanced speed. Most vampires were fast moving, but Feliks was far faster than even them. Alfred and Francis glared, obviously looking at their chances._

" _Well, I suppose." Francis said, languidly. "But you are all rather young, and just slaves."_

" _Hungry, weak slaves." Alfred corrected._

" _Either way. I do not like our chances. If Feliks wasn't gone, we would be taking you down just fine." Francis pretended to be frightened, and Alfred wanted to laugh as the horde surrounded them._

" _Attack." Ivan's laugh followed his order, and the two older vampires launched at them all only moments before the hundreds of slaves did._

_After the battle, which had left bodies strewn about the snow-covered ground in a large area surrounding them, Francis and Alfred knew that Ivan had escaped._

" _He'll be a challenge, certainly." Francis murmured. "But in all likelihood, he's under orders of another vampire. We will see how this turns out in time."_

_And Francis had been right on both accounts. Ivan Braginsky, though he never associated with the vampire society, was no longer mass-producing vampires. Mostly because he knew that was the reason the vampire society had targeted him to begin with._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeta was made at the time of Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary's rule, the first known female serial killer. Bathory died in her room while she was under house arrest under "suspicious" circumstances. No reason why our dear Elizabeta couldnt have come into her room and suffocated her or something. Elizabeth Bathory is commonly named as a vampire in most literature, I figured I'd break the tradition. 
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter or are enjoying this story, please drop a bookmark, kudos, and I love comments most of all!


	6. Fevre Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why is Ivan Braginsky in his town? Alfred can't even find out where he is, let alone why he would be there. Arthur gets dragged deeper into him, and Alfred himself has to come to terms with the fact that sometimes, things might just be fated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *note: Fevre Dream is not a misspelling!! It's the title of a vampire novel written by George RR Martin

****Alfred found Arthur when he had gone looking for dinner at one of his favorite hang-outs/dining areas- the local gay bar.

However, Arthur was confronted with none other than Ivan Braginsky, and Alfred wouldn't trust that man if his life depended on it. So he strolled on over, and drawled his greeting. "Hi, Ivan!" He said, cheerfully. "Man, I've not seen you in ages, you abusive fuck!" His grin belied the anger just beneath the surface as he stood behind Arthur, the human reeking of alcohol, fear, and drugs.

Ivan made a face at him when humans turned toward the three of them. "Yeah, Toris is still in pretty bad shape, huh? Too bad I can't beat you up right now, my friend seems a bit too hammered at the moment to let me responsibly beat you up the way you deserve." He said, sitting with Arthur and refusing to break contact with Ivan's gaze as humans surrounded them. Neither of them could use their powers now, because the humans would find out. So Ivan stood, and left, grumbling in irritation.

The American vampire only grinned. "Man, you managed to run into one of my least favorite people in the whole world, Arthur!" He said, grinning at the human. "Well, who you date is your prerogative, but I should advise that Ivan has an unfortunate pattern of beating the shit out of people he's done with." He revealed a half-truth, leaning back in the barstool, before looking at Arthur's face with his lips crooked up into a smile.

Arthur was strangely muted, though. He was staring at Alfred with big, almost teary green eyes.

"Arthur?" He murmured, blinking in confusion, before the tension broke and Arthur flung himself at Alfred, crying openly, the gay vampire tentatively stroking Arthur's back after a moment. "There…there?"

"You came back." He whimpered, tearful, gripping Alfred tighter, as though he were afraid the man had actually left for good…or something.

"Of course I did, Art." He agreed, wrapping an arm underneath his arms and around his chest so that he could get a good grip on him. "How about I get you home? I have no idea why you thought it'd be a good idea to go out drinking…you only got out of surgery a week ago!" He exclaimed. " _Brain_  surgery!"

Of course, Alfred was forgoing food…but…it didn't seem likely Arthur would let him go any time soon, so he sucked it up. He was still at a decent level of blood mass, so he'd be able to let it slide for the moment.

"C'mon, Artie. I'll getcha to your home…" He said, paying the officers tab before walking him out of the bar.

XXXXX

Arthur's memory of the walk back to his house with Alfred grew rather hazy. But he was soon tucked in bed, and he asked the handsome American to stay overnight. The man had frowned, but agreed, going to rest on the couch.

And then Arthur had gone to sleep, pain medication and alcohol forming some sort of  _weird_  nightmare.

_He was living in England in the late 1500s, and he had been doing fine when he had spotted the man._

_He had a bright set of blue eyes, ones that caught Arthur's and shut when the man he was watching chuckle, before their owner walked away._

_It had just started like that, but…he had come to fancy the man, it seemed from the dream, whose words were just out of earshot, unable to be understood but close enough to be heard._

_And for whatever the reason, the dream had gone dark, and then there were flashes of things happened all at once._

_He had been murdered for being a sodomite, a man who had been disgusted of what he was and who he loved…had shot him, and in his last moments he had known that wouldn't be the end of it. He wouldn't let that man hurt Alfred._

_Familiar blue eyes, they looked different than how he remembered them. They were kinder, innocent, and they smiled at him, laughing in disbelief as he had opened his arms to accept him, telling him they could go to the new world together, and make a new life there…_

_Those same blue eyes, so filled with fear, the dreaded quiet gasp of death and the scent of human blood. "K-kirk…w-why…?"_

_The anguish that filled his being as he watched the life drain from them, their owner dying in his arms even as he tried to bring him closer, as he tried to stop the bleeding of the only person who had ever understood him._

" _Please, please my love, please_ _ **don't leave me…**_ _"_

And then Arthur awoke in a cold sweat. He gasped, his head throbbing in pain as he swore to never drink and take pain pills at the same time.

"Ah, Arthur?" The familiar voice spoke up, yawning. "What's wrong, headache, need water or pain pills...?"

After staring a while at the man, Arthur spoke up belatedly. "Ah…both would be wonderful, Alfred."

Alfred grinned, nodding and waltzing over to him with a cup of water and his pain medication. "Sooo, for someone who said that they didn't wanna have a one night stand…it seems a little weird that you'd go out to a gay bar after telling me to get lost." He said, trying to be conversational and not act totally like he was jealous-which, of course, he was. And upset. And hurt. Those last two emotions were from something that didn't really make sense to him either.

Arthur stared, before he blinked, and had the humility to look embarrassed.

"I didn't mean to tell you to get lost." He admitted. "I was worried that we were moving to fast. I really like you, and I…well. You seemed like you wanted to have sex, and I didn't want to have it that fast. I only went to a gay bar since I tend to get clingy when I'm drunk…and straight men dislike that."

Alfred nodded thoughtfully. "I hear you on the straight guys thing, and it does seem awfully true, considering you were drunk as a skunk  _despite_ the warning label on your pain medication pill bottle to explicitly  _not_  drink and consume the two substances together." He admonished, grinning slightly. "So, I'll let that slide."

The American handed Arthur the pills and the water, before helping the officer sit up properly.

"What were you dreaming about?" Alfred eventually asked, curious about the whimpers and the tears and cries from the humans restless sleep.

Arthur groaned. "Ugh, well…Truthfully I don't even remember what was going on in it. It was like you and I were the stars of some sort of gay romance period film…"

"Did one of us die?" Alfred drawled in amusement, and Arthur nodded emphatically.

"Both of us, actually. I was murdered for being a sodomite, and then somehow I killed you?"

"Ohhh,  _sodomite_. I've not heard that insult in a while." Alfred played along despite how the order of deaths piqued his interest. "Watch Downton Abbey or something? Either way, that sounds  _precisely_  like a queer historical tragic film. And we both  _die_? The straights would love it."

The officer snorted in amusement at the obvious teasing. "Dreams are strange things, aren't they?"

"Aren't they just." Alfred echoed the statement, humming noncommittally as he sat down next to him. "Yanno, I'm told they mean stuff."

"That apparently gay people internalize all the films centered around their pain and suffering for being gay as their one and only story?" Arthur tried to joke, and Alfred smiled a bit.

"Not just that. Do you believe in…I dunno…fate?" He asked, vague. "A friend of mine apparently had a mom that had this weird ability to tell what is meant to happen. They told me their mom even predicted her own death, and she used to say that sometimes, dreams were the key to knowing the future or the past for the rest of us."

"Morbid." Arthur commented lightly, before taking the pain medication and downing the cup of water. "But I get what you're saying."

When a silence filled the room, Alfred pressed on. "…And?"

"And I don't know." Arthur admitted quietly in the night. "I've wondered that before, if fate was a part of this reality. It certainly is romantic, isn't it? That people are sometimes just…meant for each other?" He chuckled. "It makes for good romance novels, at the very least…much in the same way vampires do. And like vampires, though I admire the ideal… I suppose I've always believed it to be fictional."

Well, there was that. Alfred shrugged, noncommittal. "Yanno, sometimes I get that feeling too…it is a nice thought, though. I think I believe in it, mostly 'cause it'd be hard to explain some of the happenstances of life without such a mechanism."

"They could be coincidences." Arthur played with him, making Alfred smile, and toss a pillow lightly at the others head, taking off the bandana he had worn at the bar in order to cover the missing patch of blonde hair and stitches.

"Go back to sleep. It's still 4 in the morning, and I  _like_  my beauty sleep." Alfred instructed, a smile playing on the edge of his lips and Arthur happily agreed, laying back down and conking out for what remained of the night.

XXXXX

Unfortunately for the British police officer, he had forgotten that he had not turned off his alarm since being home, and it went off right at 5:30 in the morning, causing him to jump up in surprise.

His head responded by pounding with a headache once more, reminding him not to drink and take high-end pain pills at the same time.

"Alfred?" He called, and frowned when no one answered. The man had always seemed so quick on his feet- available whenever Arthur had needed him.

He stood slowly, world titling nauseatingly as he did so. But he ignored it since he was determined. He turned on his lamplight, and donned his robe, confused when he heard no sounds within his house.

Alfred was the type of guy to get easily spooked; quiet on his feet and never letting others sneak around on him. He certainly didn't ever sleep around Arthur, and so the man was curious. If he  _was_  asleep, Arthur had a bet that he looked rather adorable. He could envision it easily enough. Drool coming out the side of his cheek, face relaxed, hair mussed up. Glassed lying awkwardly on his face, undoubtedly going to leave a mark on his cheek that would be pressed up against the surface he rested on.

He walked around with a small grin on his face, but was disappointed as he walked around  _fruitlessly_.

Alfred F. Jones…wasn't in his house.

_"It would be in your best interest if you were not to trust him."_

That was what the strange Russian man had said about Alfred, before the American had shown up out of the blue, with a story that Arthur couldn't precisely remember for how drunk he was. But for one reason or another, Ivan's words had stuck clear in his mind, imprinting themselves on him.

Laying the seeds of doubt in Arthur.

XXXXX

Of course Alfred had left in the middle of the night. He was  _starving_ , and he couldn't precisely feed off Arthur in the state he was in. It was nice to know that they had only parted based on a misunderstanding- largely on Alfred's part.

However, he went and drank his fill, ensuring a few weeks of being able to let himself relax, and perhaps even a day where he'd be able to actually eat! His sunburns healed from beneath the jacket he'd been wearing, and he sighed in relief, letting the other man go, wiping his memory of the incident before ordering him to wander off and wake up somewhere else.

Leaving Alfred to walk back to Arthur's home. He stopped by a donut place, getting himself a coffee and donuts for him and Arthur, before making his way back on down to where he knew Arthur to live, letting himself back in quietly.

He hadn't been expecting Arthur to be up, and so jumped when he saw the human on the couch, waiting for him with an unhappy expression.

"Oh, hey Arthur." He said, innocently enough.

"Where'd you go?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh…" Alfred blinked, before holding up the bag. "I got donuts…?"

Arthur was taken aback, as Alfred walked over with the sugary offering. "Working night shifts at the hospital has really taken a toll on my sleep habits. I didn't want you to worry about me going out though, so I lied about the sleep. Sorry, babe…?" He said, smiling quietly.

"Oh." Arthur said, blinking furiously as his head ached and a voice that wasn't his own told him to press on. "Is that all?"

"Well, what else would I be doing at o dark thirty, precisely?" Alfred asked with raised brow. Arthur blanched at that. He didn't know what Alfred would be doing, but he flinched when he couldn't come up with a reasonable answer, his head pounding now.

"Art…?" Alfred frowned in uncertainty, going over to him, being surprised when Arthur batted his hand away, suddenly hostile, before nearly toppling over altogether. "My god." Alfred murmured as he caught the human, realizing what had happened and guilt hitting him instantly as he realized the only solution, holding him in place even as Arthur fought him. "For the record, I  _am_  sorry about this…" He muttered, before his blue eyes lit up hypnotically, and he forced Arthur to meet his gaze, the human caught instantly, enraptured by the expression.

" _Sleep, my sweet pet."_  Alfred purred deeply, the human's struggles weakening as he stared into his piercing, hypnotic eyes. " _All is well_."

His struggles against Alfred ceased as he went limp in the embrace, the human's eyes dulling accordingly as he repeated in a contented murmur, " _All is well_ ," before his eyelids fell shut with a pleased smile on his face.

"Good pet." Alfred hummed thoughtfully as he set Arthur down, making sure that he hadn't bruised the human in the process. Damn the fact he felt far more human after feedings…it made something like guilt rise to the surface in the vampire. But something had happened. "I need you to speak with me, pet."

" _Master_ …." Arthur breathed, obediently responding, as the suggestions left from the last time he had been hypnotized took hold, and he remembered that Alfred was his  _owner_ , the vampire who  _he_ , a worthless human, served dutifully in mind, body, and soul. Green eyes opened, his stare half-lidded and glazed over as he turned to look at Alfred, awaiting further instructions.

"Another vampire told you something." Alfred murmured as he looked him over. "Tell me what it was."

His human hesitated, before Alfred slowly stroked the man's blonde hair, forcing him to give in, the human showing his neck in submission. But, Alfred didn't give the human what he desired. "Tell me, my pet, and I  _will_  reward you."

Dull, green eyes widened at the promise, and he leaned into Alfred, feeling the subtle warmth of the vampire who had just fed. "Master, he told me that I shouldn't trust you." Arthur whispered, and Alfred's stomach sank.

"And you remember it very clearly, more clearly than anything else you remember?" He asked for clarification, and Alfred resisted the urge to curse as Arthur nodded, before leaning into him further, tilting his head to the side, giving Alfred ample room to bite him.

Fulfilling his promise, Alfred's mouth opened- this time with long, white fangs protruding, and with fully blue eyes he sunk his teeth into a human he had no intentions of actually feeding from, towards the back of his neck so they weren't so easily seen.

It was a strange feeling, biting down into the human and injecting him with his venom, the human gripping his shirt tighter with a drawn out moan- particularly because he was sated, and had no need for blood, and was far more human in his thought process.

The vampire pulled away after allowing Arthur to enjoy the pleasurable effects of his venom, licking at the wound to close the artery. Arthur whined this time, looking absolutely  _erotic_  with how he drooled slightly from a pouched mouth, and his hair had become tousled as he had pressed against Alfred.

"That vampire is my  _enemy_ , my pet." Alfred whispered, licking the edge of human's ear, and causing a shiver to go up his back. "And he sought to turn you against me."

"Forgive me, master…" Arthur mumbled as he gripped Alfred. "Do as you must…"

"Thank you, for telling me." And Alfred then kissed Arthur, the human eagerly leaning into his possessive action.

Once he had pulled away, the human needing a moment to breathe, Alfred pulled him onto his lap. "You will remember nothing of last night, but the fact I picked you up at the gay bar when I found you getting hit on, and you were blackout drunk. You will not remember any of what the other vampire said, and you will not heed to any order the other vampire gave you."

Arthur jerked at that part, groaning as he was released from the hypnotic spell of Ivan Braginsky, and left blank once more. Alfred soothed him, kissing his temple as he held him close. "Good pet. After all, you belong to  _me,_  so no other vampires should be able to give you orders at all…"

"I understand, master…" Arthur whispered with a dazed smile. "Will you be staying with me…?" He asked, brightly, and when Alfred conceded a nod, his pet's face lit up in delighted joy. "That's…that's great master, I will be a good pet, I promise…"

The vampire chuckled. "Now, you go back to sleep, and when you wake up, once again, you will remember nothing consciously of this trance- except the fact that you belong to me." Arthur nodded as Alfred set him down, and snapped his fingers, eyelids drooping back down and breathing settling instantly. "Good boy." Alfred smiled, sitting with him and stroking his hair.

So, that was one problem solved, with another, larger one now showing its ugly head- Arthur had become an unwitting target of Ivan Braginsky because of his relations to Alfred.

XXXXX

Arthur awoke with a rather pleasant warmth at his side, though not as warm as it theoretically should be, since he was sleeping next to Alfred F. Jones.

He nearly gasped at the sight, since his memories of the night before were hazy at best. He was at the gay club, and he had been drinking…and on pain pills, as he vaguely remembered Alfred admonishing him about while scaring someone else off and offering to take him home.

The next discovery was that Alfred lost about  _all_  of his mystique when he fell asleep. Usually, the handsome would play with Arthur like a cat, with either charming statements, or he'd be entirely playful, unfortunately  _attractive_  even when teasing. This was neither of those things, and Arthur had to resist the urge to snort. Alfred's mouth was opened slightly, his eyes closed, and he had entirely forgotten to remove his glasses, which were pressed into his face and would undoubtedly be leaving quite the mark on his face.

What  _did_  confuse Arthur- was how Alfred didn't seem to be  _breathing_. At all.

He then desperately slapped his hand to Alfred's chest to attempt and find a heartbeat, but felt nothing except how Alfred was weirdly cold.

Arthur  _screamed_.

Which, in turn, caused Alfred to jolt awake and launch himself across the room from the source of the screams, staring blearily at Arthur and rubbing his forehead. "What the  _fuck_?!" He exclaimed in confused irritation- for two reasons. One, why had he been asleep of all things, and two, why was Arthur screaming?

"Al-Alfred?" Arthur stammered, horrified. "I-I…I thought…"

"Thought what?" Alfred rearranged his glasses, rubbing the side of his face where they had left an indent with a low mutter.

"I thought you were  _dead_ …." Arthur whispered in pale, deathly seriousness, walking over to Alfred as the vampire blinked in shock.

Oh. Well. Since it wasn't uncommon for vampires to occasionally "sleep", typically they got buried in coffins for it, so humans wouldn't stumble upon them and think precisely that. They also typically did it on their own terms and didn't fall asleep at random like humans were prone to do.

So this whole scenario was weird for both of them.

He sat back down on the bed, and took a deep breath for show. "Heh, yanno, it can be hard to find a heart beat if you're already panicking, Arthur." He suggested. "And I tend to sleep very soundly, with very small breaths. Used to freak out people, still sometimes does- and you are the latest victim of that. Sorry, though." He scratched the back of his neck.

Arthur breathed out another sigh of relief, and Alfred grinned at him, before remembering the donuts and (now cold) coffee from earlier.

He got up and brought the two of them breakfast.

XXXXX

Arthur was a pain to deal with. He was fussy and irritable and a complainer and grouchy, and generally a pain in Alfred's ass. Alfred still hung around, though, since it was clear Arthur still needed help doing some basic everyday things. Like getting groceries- which is why Alfred was waiting for his friend to show up.

Arthur explained that Kiku was bringing over his boyfriend, and it would be nice to not have to play third wheel.

However, as he waited with Arthur, he tilted his head and  _listened_ closer, the thoughts of a vampire coming closer, and closer.

It was a familiar, friendly vampire, albeit one Alfred didn't much talk with.

"Hello, Kiku, and you must be Heracles." Arthur said cheerfully, letting the two in after the doorbell rang once, smiling at the two. "Come in, come in."

When Heracles and Alfred caught sight of each other, Alfred grinned at him, and Heracles too gave a small, knowing smile.

"What's up, my man Herc?" Alfred laughed, high-fiving the Greek vampire. "It's been awhile. So this is Kiku? Small world we live in, huh?"

"You two know each other?" Arthur said, startled as the two vampires exchanged looks, before Alfred nodded, having heard Heracles' ideas for a backstory and using them quickly.

"Mmmhm, I knew him when we were younger, friend of the family and all that jazz." He didn't say, "When we were kids" since that would be a lie, and Heracles seemed to not like lying to Kiku all that much. "I hadn't seen him in a while, though."

Heracles nodded, squeezing his boyfriend quietly. Kiku looked up at him strangely, and Alfred could almost tell that Kiku was suspicious of Heracles. Maybe not exactly suspicious of him being a creature that was widely considered a supernatural being that fed on human blood, but of  _something_.

And then Alfred turned his gaze on Kiku. A shorter looking, Japanese man, he eyed Alfred, his intent hidden behind guarded eyes. He asked Heracles to help him carry in the groceries, and the Greek vampire went and did as he was told.

_Why are you here, Alfred?_

The thought came through loud and clear, since Heracles had cleared out his head, and Alfred listened intently.

_It is nice to see you, but…this human is dear to me, and Arthur is dear to him, so please tell me you do not intend to kill him?_

Alfred snorted, making Arthur give him a weird look. "So, when did you two meet?" Arthur tried to be conversational, and Alfred grinned as he tried to keep Arthur away from the truth.

"A while ago, I was young…don't really remember all the details, to be honest." Alfred murmured, helping Arthur to the couch. "And  _you_  need to rest. Your friends are here to help, just like I am. Mr. Brain surgery." Alfred grinned, playful but reprimanding of Arthur. "Relax."

The other blonde frowned, but listened anyway, turning a bit so that he could put his legs up on the couch and cover him with a blanket, before going into the kitchen to help them.

"Hi, Kiku, I'm Alfred. I volunteer at the hospital Arthur wound up in and ended up sticking with him the night of and the days following the accident. Poor thing disliked being cooped up. Not that I blame him really. Hospitals sorta  _reek_  of death."

"But you work at one." Kiku pointed out politely, the stove turned on and cooking as Heracles put away other groceries, giving Alfred a look to tread lightly.

The American grinned. "I was an active serviceman for a while. When I got home, I didn't really know what to do with my time anymore. My folks were dead, and I live in a big house all alone. The VA's office suggested I volunteer somewhere, and I ended up working at the hospital. The staff likes me, so they've tolerated me for this long." Alfred chatted conversationally, and Kiku nodded thoughtfully.

"Heracles, you sure do know an interesting array of people." He stated, and the Greek man shrugged.

"Alfred is closer with Sadiq, he knows me by extension." Heracles explained coolly.

"Hey! That's true." Alfred agreed quickly. "Speaking of Sadiq, I need to see him and Gupta. Wish them a happy Eid-al- I can't pronounce the last word." He scratched the back of his head. "But it is nice to see you, Heracles. I'm surprised you didn't reach out to me, but I also get it."

"I lost your cell number." Heracles shrugged. "And I wasn't about to call Sadiq and ask for it."

"True." Alfred agreed, the two vampires looking at Kiku, who had mostly tuned them out in favor of cooking. "Well, how about you and I get the last groceries out of y'alls car." He suggested, and Heracles agreed slowly.

The two walked out without comment from either of the humans.

"So, what  _are_ you doing here, Alfred? I know you heard me." Heracles said once they were out of earshot, staring evenly at Alfred.

"I could ask the same." Alfred shrugged, not liking the aggression. "New York City is  _literally_  my turf. It's my home city, and it has been for  _years_. And you knew that since you had obviously been concealing your thoughts so that I wouldn't know about it unless you got close enough to me."

"Kiku and I met in Greece." Heracles explained with a sigh. "He was on vacation when we met, and admittedly I have been here longer than I should have been without letting you know."

"Damn right." Alfred agreed with an eyeroll. "I met Arthur exactly how I said I did. He was at the hospital, dying of massive brain trauma. I kept an eye on him, had a  _creative_ way to stop the bleeding, alerted doctors to his strange behavior, and they discovered the brain bleed. I kept him alive while keeping  _myself_  alive, so bonus points."

"That was a week ago." Heracles argued quickly. "There are  _marks_  on his neck. I've noticed them because I know what you are, but they're not precisely hidden, and Kiku is the most intelligent human I've ever known. He is catching on to me. And I don't know what he'll do once he figures it out. What I will do if he finds out."

"So back off of him." Alfred sighed. "You are no stranger to faking your death in order to get away from prying humans, just as I am. Inevitably, I'll have to do the same with Arthur."

Heracles gave Alfred a pained look, and it was then Alfred realized, with a surprised stare.

"Oh my god." He raised an eyebrow as he figured it out. "You're actually in love with him, aren't you?"

The Greek vampire looked away, but made no move to deny it. Alfred drew his own conclusions easily enough.

"And, by the angst face, I'm assuming you don't want to  _leave_  him, don't want to  _turn_  him, and don't want him to find out…?" Alfred whistled, impressed. "That's a fucked up combination. Good luck bro."

Heracles mutely nodded at that, and the two vampires carried everything back into the house, dropping it off in the kitchen, and Alfred smiled as he suggested that he go check on Arthur.

Neither of the couple argued with him, so Alfred spent the rest of the time keeping Arthur entertained. Eventually, he feigned a phone call, and excused himself from the meal claiming he had to go to work. Arthur insisted he take a serving with him, so Alfred humored him, giving his cute human pet a kiss on his cheek.

"Make sure he doesn't go drinking tonight." Alfred told Kiku with a drawn out sigh. "I'd like to keep him alive, and alcohol mixed with pain medication isn't precisely the best way to go about keeping him that way…"

Kiku softened at that, seeing as Arthur seemed genuinely happy to have Alfred around, and the American vampire left, planning on hunting Ivan Braginsky down. No one fucked with  _his_  turf.

XXXXX

"He is rather handsome, Arthur." Kiku admitted as he washed dishes.

"Hmm?" Arthur murmured from the couch, having been dozing after finishing his meal. "Oh. Did Heracles leave…?" The Brit yawned, sitting up partly to stretch.

"Don't get up. I can handle the mess I made." Kiku replied easily, being strict. " _Drinking_ , Arthur? I understand it is something you enjoy, but… not a wise choice, considering the warning label." He murmured, and Arthur groaned.

"Not you too, Kiku…" He rubbed his face. "Alfred has gotten all over me about that."

"For good reason." The other quipped as he picked up the dishes in front of Arthur. "The American is rather handsome, I will admit. Though I do think it's strange that he and Heracles know each other."

Arthur nodded, yawning again. "Sounded like they had mutual friends, really…"

"If you count Sadiq as a friend of Heracles." Kiku corrected mildly. "But that opens up a whole new can of worms for the two, I'm afraid. I've not met anyone named Gupta, but Heracles said that he is Egyptian, and another friend of the family, and Sadiq is Turkish." Kiku let out a drawn out sigh. "It is suspicious that they are so… multicultural."

"An American man, a Turkish man, an Egyptian man, and a Greek man all walk into a bar." Arthur followed his logic. "It does sound suspiciously like a set up for a bad joke. Count the fact you're from Japan, and I am from the UK, and we have a veritable model United Nations…"

"Not to mention, they are all pretty spread apart in age… Sadiq told me he was 33, Heracles said he was 27…I'm 26, and you're 25…" Kiku politely pointed out.

"And Alfred is 23." Arthur frowned. "That is a very wide spread in age, for a group that all know each other… But, it does give Alfred's story credibility…he told me he was too young to remember when he first met Heracles."

"What else do you know about when he was young?" Kiku asked, curious.

Arthur had to frown. "You know, he never really mentions his past all that much. He's told me that he lives in his family home, and his parents are dead."

"Heracles told me the same thing, when he and I met in Greece." Kiku murmured, sighing. "I want to believe the best of him, but… there is something  _off_  about him, and I cannot quantify that feeling as anything but a strange feeling."

"It could be coincidences. Heracles seems to like you a fair bit." Arthur sighed. "I overheard him and Alfred talking outside a bit. Alfred was acting a bit strange, and I only picked up half the conversation…but apparently Alfred thinks Heracles really loves you."

Kiku nodded, closing his eyes and going silent for a second. "I am glad to know that… He's told me that before, but… I don't know. It's nice to see that someone else has said the same. It's not that I don't trust him to know his own feelings, its more of a… gut reaction of some sort."

"Maybe they're in a cult or something." Arthur tried to tease, scratching the back of his head as it fell flat. "…I can attest to feeling the same way about Alfred. Less so now, but certainly around the time I was getting to know him. And flashes of something other than what he usually acts like."

The Japanese man agreed. "There are times where Heracles acts substantially differently than usual. When I asked him why he was acting strange, he simply said he was hungry, but when I offered him food, he refused everything." He sighed. "He was rather rude about it, even. Eventually, he had just gotten up and left."

"Strange." Arthur settled on, tired of talking and having trouble keeping his eyes open. "Alfred once said something to the same effect… He said he could get 'hangry'…" With another yawn, Arthur gave in. "Can I have my medication for the night…?"

"Oh!" Kiku's eyes widened, surprised with the admittance of a need for help, and assisted Arthur to his bedroom, before tucking him into bed. His close friend than gave him his medications, letting Arthur nod off before he went back downstairs to clean up the rest of dinner.

XXXXX

Nothing. No sign of Ivan in the city. It was incredibly frustrating for the vampire, since once he knew of someone's presence in the area, he was generally able to pick up their thoughts even when they were concealing them from him.

Alfred was  _irritated_.

To prove he could find anyone in his town whether or not they were shielded, should he know of their presence, he tracked down the tired thoughts of Heracles, the pureblooded vampire born centuries before Alfred had existed on this earth. The Greek man was thinking of what to do about Kiku, the internal monologue palpable- to turn, to leave him now, or to try and keep things as they were and wait for Kiku to leave him instead?

Francis' words rang true once more. Nothing good ever came out of vampires falling in love with humans. Though Kiku was likely not going to be burnt at the stake…the sentiment was the same. What was there for vampires that fell in love with humans? To turn them and risk losing their minds forever? To not and know that they would one day?

Admittedly, that was a rather cruel fate, all the way around.

Upon finishing his mental mapping of his city for vampires, he texted Gupta and Sadiq a quick message, wishing them a happy Eid. The two were Muslim, and still celebrating holidays. Gilbert celebrated holidays as well, as did the two Vargas siblings, but other than them…the majority of vampires had turned their backs on religion somewhere around the time when their heart had stopped beating.

Including Alfred, for that matter. He still rather enjoyed Christmas time, but otherwise was nonreligious.

Fate was something strange, though. It rested in the back of his mind like an uncomfortable burr embedded into his soft skin, and when he resisted it, it would slice into him with images of Matthew, William and Matthew again.

He lied down, and sighed, wondering why he was so  _tired_. It wasn't natural for vampires to be

" _ **Heracles**_ _."_

Alfred's telepathic voice reached out to the other vampire, and he felt the mental jump, the spike of fear, and he chortled a bit.

" _What is it, Alfred?_ " He eventually got an answer from the Greek vampire, and the telepathic vampire waited for a moment before he continued.

" _ **What does it mean when a vampire is tired?**_ _"_

Alfred waited, and listened to Heracles' mental thoughts, getting images of a Vampress that he'd never met before, assuming it to be Heracles long dead mother, and Heracles dozing as well.

" _It typically means that you need to see something that you can't see when you are awake." Heracles admitted slowly. "Visions, warnings… memories. It can be a lot of things. But you are right to ask, since not many vampires ever get_ _ **tired**_ _after they are turned. Tired of continuing on as they are, certainly, but not_ _ **physically**_ _tired."_

" _ **Was that your mom**_ _?_ " Alfred asked, and felt Heracles' irritation to having his mental thoughts watched like that.

" _Yes, it was my mother. She was a much more powerful oracle than I was, but typically, when she was tired, when she was alive, and when myself now, is tired, it means that we need to see something, and I can't tell you what you might need to see, but it's something."_

Alfred stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. " _ **Thank you, Heracles, I'll stop listening in to your thoughts**_."

With that, he tuned out, and sighed. He put up a sign on his door saying that he was out "fishing", and locked everything up. With a text to Arthur, he said that he would be visiting old friends in Massachusetts, which…wasn't precisely wrong. Massachusetts was Alfred's past.

So. Time to lay down and accept whatever was coming for him.

He crawled into his coffin, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as he waited, before pulling the lid over it, and letting sleep overcome him.

XXXXX

Early the next morning, at precisely stupid o' clock, Arthur was snapped out of his sleep by a text message. Surprisingly, it was from Alfred.

" _I'm going out to see some old friends in Massachusetts. I might be gone a while."_

And that was all that was said. Strange, but… it was 3 am, and Arthur was tired, and still drugged up on pain medication. So he rolled back over and fell asleep in his bed.

When he woke up next, Kiku was with him, having made breakfast and was forcing him up, to eat before he took his medications. "I got a text from Alfred late last night." Arthur murmured sleepily. "Apparently he's going out of town."

"Really?" Kiku said, humming. "That's strange."

"I thought so too." Arthur agreed, yawning as he nibbled on the toast, before sipping his tea. "He didn't mention it until last night." He set down the glass. "In fact, he's never mentioned anyone in his life. The first person I met that Alfred had contact with was Heracles."

"And they're not close." Kiku murmured. "It is strange that he lives out here with no one else. Do you have an address for him?" The Japanese man asked. "Maybe we can see where he lives…what he does in his free time and such, even if we cannot go inside his home. If he lives in a suburb, we might assume he swims or does sports…"

Arthur shook his head. "Alfred has a sun allergy." He recalled the American telling him. "He got some nasty burns from walking me back to my home. He told me that he had forgotten to dress more appropriately for the sun. Idiot was wearing short sleeves… He said it was genetic."

The Japanese man agreed, sipping his tea as well. "Heracles does as well- have a sun allergy, I mean. It's mild enough that sometimes I don't realize it, but sometimes it just... appears and it usually goes hand and hand with irritation, and when I ask what he's irritated about, he'll say he's  _hungry_ …"

"Alfred did about the same thing, though that could be why they know each other? Met in a hospital, you know?"

Kiku looked interested in that thought. "That…Is feasible. They could have met when their parents brought them to get treatment or something, for a rare skin disease." He nodded, soothed for the time being. "Either way, I'm interested in seeing where Alfred lives. So… get in your wheelchair and pull up his address in your phone, we're going to see his home."

XXXXX

" _This_  is where Alfred lives?" Arthur asked, flabbergasted at the estate.

"It would seem so." Kiku agreed, politely covering his bafflement. "I had wondered why the GPS told me nothing was out here…"

"Which is why we went on that wild goose chase to find an address close enough to what he wrote that had a home on it." Arthur muttered. "But this looks like it belongs to some sort of millionaire…or something."

There was a young man with blonde hair walking around to the front door, and Arthur was offended.

"Alfred F. Jones! You said that you were going out of town!" Arthur yelled, angry, to have the man jump and face him in confusion.

"Oh! Is that where he went?" The voice was different. Softer, vaguely accented in a way that Alfred's wasn't. As Kiku pushed the wheelchair closer, Arthur saw the differences were more than that.

"Uhm, hello there…are you Alfred's brother, by any chance?" Arthur asked, confused as he raised an eyebrow at the other figure.

Purple eyes widened- not blue- and he shook his head frantically. "No! Alfred is a friend of mine….I think." He scratched his head. "He told me I could come by any time. I met him a few days ago…we really hit it off well…"

"You have absolutely no blood relation to him, whatsoever?" Arthur asked, disbelieving, and the other man laughed nervously.

"Well, he thinks we might be long-lost relatives…but the split in the family line would have happened centuries ago." He said, smiling a bit. "My…my name is Matthew Williams. I'm a college student over at NYU."

"Arthur Kirkland. And I….well. I guess I could say I am dating Alfred." He introduced awkwardly, reaching out a hand for the other man to shake, the student quickly doing so.

"Nice to meet you." Matthew looked back up at the house. "You mentioned he was out of town?"

"That is what he texted me to say." Arthur agreed, sighing. "I got it early in the morning. It sounded a bit spur of the moment, honestly."

Matthew sighed. "Ah well. I wanted to say hi to him, but I guess that can wait…" He put his hand on the door, and jolted in surprise when it pushed inwards, opening for him. "Fuck!" He shouted in surprise, looking at the house in shock.

The lights were off, no one was home. "He's not here…" Matthew said with wide eyes, staring into the doorway with obvious curiosity.

"Yes, now…we should get going then." Arthur admitted, though he was also curious as to what lay inside Alfred's home. "I don't want to be caught breaking and entering private property."

Matthew, though disappointed, also agreed, pulling the door closed. "I dunno how to lock it…" He said, going to twist the handle to mess with it, but finding it was suddenly locked. Frowning, he twisted it a bit more, and this caught Arthur and Kiku's attention.

"It's locked now…" Kiku said, spooked. "We shouldn't be here."

Arthur was incredibly inclined to agree. "Lets go." He murmured, shivers running up his spine, and Kiku turned him around, Matthew tentatively following after them.

That…was strange, and added another layer of mystery to Alfred F. Jones.

XXXXX

_Dreams had become a foreign thing to the vampire, so he vaguely realized he had to be dreaming, but…it felt real anyway. First it was Arthur that was at his side, kissing him chastely while they sat in the living room of Arthur's home._

_The scene changed, and Alfred was sighing as he was attempting to force the brain damaged commodore to eat, the commodore calling him a sodomite, desperately and angrily. If Alfred hadn't learned better, he would have thought that the commodore was trying to get him to remember something._

_Then it was Kirk Archer, the older vampire meeting Alfred and smiling at him so, so sadly. "My love, what I want, I can never have."_

_And though Alfred hadn't honed his abilities well enough to hear everything he was thinking, he could hear the disjointed thoughts of_ _**love protect no please I don't want to die, I don't want to leave you here** _ _before his elder had put up his mental shield._

_And then, before even that…_

" _Why, how are you doing, sir?" A cheerful voice that Alfred subconsciously identified as his own- though the accent was wrong- was speaking, to someone in the dirt._

" _Why are you talking with me? I'm certain you heard what they had called me." The man in the dirt didn't look at him, despite how Alfred could feel it in him that he wanted this man to look up- he had the prettiest green eyes he had ever seen._

" _They accused you of sodomy, right?" The strange, off version of his voice murmured. "Well, good thing I'm no stranger in that territory, sir." He felt his familiar smile blossoming on his face, his hand, slightly more worn down by work than Alfred's own were. "My name, sir, is Jonathon Alford. Friends call me John. And you are?"_

_Green eyes looked up to him, familiar and curious and painfully uncertain, a scruff of blonde hair a bit mussed up by the crowd that had come after him._

" _Kirk Archer."_

And then he woke up, breathing hard and uncertain and upset for a thousand reasons Alfred couldn't yet quantify.


	7. Interlude with a Vampire ( iv )- Powers of Vampires

_Francis was a creature of an extraordinary amount of stubbornness. In the 10 years since Alfred's transformation into a member of the Undead, he had barely gotten used to his need for human blood. Since he was too frightened to kill them, Francis would typically capture one being for both of them, and split the meal, before disposing of the body in the ocean.  
_

_The pair had to move very frequently around the New World, in what was now largely English colonies, and occasionally Francis would run into trouble, but nothing like this._

" _Papers sir!" A British soldier was demanding of him, while Alfred stared helplessly. Francis was obviously looking for an exit, or a way to kill the human without being noticed._

_As Alfred panicked, he heard the whispers again, though…they were hard to understand. They sounded strange, and he knew better than to call out for the voice to shut up- only he could hear them._

_But, the two of them were being surrounded._

" _Francis!" Alfred hissed, unsure of what was going to happen- and the most curious thing occurred._

_The whispers…they now sounded like his name, and Alfred decided to focus on them a bit more…_

_The reason Alfred couldn't understand them was because they were in French. It wasn't whispers- could…could the sound be…? Francis'_ _**thoughts** _ _?_

_He didn't know what he did, he just…wished he could understand what he was saying…and suddenly, it came into clarity._

_**Alfred, oh fuck the British bugs, if there weren't so many people around I would simply kill them but there are too many. If only I had hypnotic powers, I would be able to tell these pitifully stupid creatures to go shove their guns up their asses and fire…** _

_The American had to break his concentration for the creative imagery that followed Francis' obscene words._

_But the words remained there, just in the back of Alfred's head, a constant buzz of thoughts._

" _ **Francis**_ _." Alfred tried, thinking hard in the…well,_ _ **direction**_ _of the thoughts, and watched as the other Undead shivered a bit, staring over at Alfred in shock._

_**My God, I've created a Lord, haven't I?** _ _Was the only thought in the others head, along with horror, the picture of an older man with blood red eyes and long fangs along with curly brown hair standing over him, and something coming over the human-Francis as though he was in a fog._

" _ **Francis. Is that…hypnosis?"**_ _Alfred asked slowly, and Francis' eyebrows rose higher. "_ _ **What you're thinking about right now, I mean?"**_

_The man paused for a moment, mind going utterly blank before the cogs started turning again._

_**Yes. A Roman Soldier turned Undead made me into a slave for a good long while. He wasn't evil, but some powerful Undead- especially those with powers of mental capacities… they can oftentimes control humans.** _ _Francis explained._ _**They just need to give them a stare… or something** _ **.**

_Looking at the humans again, the soldiers now barking at him and Francis, and forced himself to calm, and attached himself unknowingly more to the being that grew within him._

" _Calm down, men, there is nothing wrong with this man." Alfred breathed out his words, leveling an even look at the humans, his being burning, rejoicing as it felt the extent of his power. "All is well here."_

_The soldier that had been holding onto Francis released him, mumbling Alfred's words obediently, staring at him, eyes half lidded. The elder Undead that had sired Alfred now watched, dumbfounded with this new revelation that this…this was what Alfred was gifted with._

" _Now, you alone will escort us to the edge of the town." Alfred whispered quietly, pointing to the one that had been hanging onto Francis. "And…the rest of you will return to your post…"_

" _Make them forget this encounter." Francis hissed out the warning to Alfred, staring at the group of soldiers in slight fear of them, of what might happen now._

" _A-and… when you reach your post, you will forget you ever saw us." Alfred finished clumsily, unused to ordering people around like this. The soldiers nodded obediently, only one remaining as the others marched back to their post obediently._

_Francis now stood amazed, the whispers far louder in his mental processes now that Alfred focused slightly on them, and the last soldier obediently followed Alfred and Francis to the edge of the forest, standing with a blank face as the two Undead froze as they realized now they knew what they could do with this new power- Alfred's power._

" _My god." Francis murmured._

" _Should we…?" Alfred asked, tentative._

" _I do think we should take advantage…" Francis agreed, staring hungrily at the human, before he drew back somewhat. "… But, it is your catch. You have the right to drink first if it is yours."_

_Alfred and him broke their blue-eyed gazes, and returned to stare at the human, both of their iris' being tainted red with hunger as their fangs drew out on their own._

" _Do not fear me, human." Alfred murmured as he ordered the soldier under his control to him with a single motion of his hand, a slight gesture of his finger pulling the other into motion again._

_The human was still breathing. He was unused to feeling the warmth in them before he drank from them…he was far more accustomed to having them dead beforehand, and it woke something in Alfred that he had pushed down ever since he had been transformed. Ever since he had killed his very first woman in his first act of bloodthirst._

_His fangs sank deep into the human's throat, biting into the jugular and suckling with a moan of completion. While cold blood kept him alive…this was undoubtedly better. More fulfilling. Both predator and prey moaned in satisfaction, in completion, the soldier losing himself in the moment as Alfred prepared to drain the human- he needed sustenance, this was_ _**his** _ _kill…_

_Francis coughed in barely hidden amusement. "My. Should I have asked for you to bring two?" He pointed out with a small smile._

_Alfred jumped back in surprise, his fangs drawing back as the human continued to bleed, in a semi-conscious daze._

" _Don't mind if I do, then." Francis continued, taking the human, and inserting his fangs deep into the holes Alfred had created, sucking the remaining life of the man to sustain his own._

_Alfred stared at the human, hunger sated even as his eyes glowed red… he had been living a half-life for so long and he hadn't even known it…this was what power felt like…this was what it meant…to be an_ _**Undead** _ _…_

_Alfred smiled, his fangs protruding from his lips as the red settled back behind his gaze._

_XXXXX_

" _Francis, will you at least tell me who is coming to visit?" Alfred asked, curious. "It's the first time I'll be meeting another Undead…"_

" _His name is Kirk Archer, and he's the representative of the society, coming to analyze you along with another Undead- Feliks. I wrote to explain I had inadvertently created a Lord of the Undead, and they naturally have to come and verify my claim." Francis rolled his eyes. "Kirk and I…we have never quite seen eye to eye, one might say."_

" _So why are you bothering to clean up the place?" Alfred raised an eyebrow in obvious confusion._

_The two had only recently settled down. It was now just 20 years since Alfred's birth as an Undead, and they had settled on living in the westernmost territories controlled by France for the time being._

_Francis paused in dusting his estate, and turned on his heel. He faced Alfred with an utterly defeated expression. "Alfred, my dear fledgling… Kirk in particular is going to be a right ass." He waved a hand in dismissal. "I sired a fledgling who was already stronger than me. He hates the idea of siring people as slaves, and repeatedly wished ill of me for planning to do so. Undoubtedly, Archer is going to tell me that this is simply my just reward."_

_Alfred blinked, but shrugged. "Still. It'll be rather interesting. You are still the only other Undead I know."_

"… _Feliks is good enough. Another like me that understands our affliction to be something that sets us above humans… another business minded man." Francis admitted. "He is from Poland. Born of the Plague in Europe many years ago. He is younger than me." Francis revealed. "Archer was born…maybe 20 years before you were turned? I could not say. As I have said, we do not really get along- despite how I was the one to explain how the society worked and how to get along as an Undead. An ingrate, if I've ever met one." Francis spat._

_Then they went silent, as there was a knock at the door of Francis' estate._

" _I'll get it." Alfred said immediately, walking over to the door and pulling it open._

_There were two Undead but the one at the door had blonde hair, and bright green eyes that looked him over. The shorter Undead whistled. "Well, I felt him from afar, and hell, I wasn't sure if you had been telling the truth, Francis…but_ _**jeez** _ _\- how on earth did you make an Undead so utterly powerful!"  
_

" _Feliks, if I knew that…I might not have made him." He reminded dully, rubbing his temples. "I am simply at the edge of what I can teach him in regards to his abilities, since his supersede mine in a way that I had not calculated…" Francis then composed himself. "So, where is our other inspector? The one who can analyze his mental capacity?"_

" _Ah, Francis- I hadn't known you were so eager to see me again." A British man came walking over, clad in uniform. "It is lovely to see you again. Hopefully this time I can finally rid this continent of your influence."_

_The other Undead stopped dead in his tracks, however, staring at Alfred, and then at Francis, and then back to Alfred._

_And then he punched Francis, the new Undead screaming at his Sire in heated French. Feliks simply pulled Alfred to the side with a chortle. "Nice insults." The man commented. "You don't understand French, do you, dear Alfred?"_

" _No." Alfred admitted quietly, watching as the carnage and the harsh screaming unfolded before him. "I've wanted to learn, though…"  
_

_The other shrugged. "Unless something goes to hell, you have essentially an eternity to learn any language of your hearts desire. What is your name?"_

" _I'm Alfred F. Jones." The American Undead introduced himself with sudden surprise with how nonchalant the other Undead was treating the fight before them. "I'm assuming you're Feliks…?"_

" _That's right. Old Franny here's in trouble with Kirk, I have no idea why they're actually fighting- the French is too fast for me to really get the meaning out of it…" He paused to wince as Francis kicked Kirk in the genitals and put his hands around his neck. "…But, it's a common enough occurrence that I'm not too terribly worried."_

" _Would you like to come inside…?" Alfred offered after a moment longer of watching, Kirk having managed to get on top of Francis and pull on his hair._

" _That will not be needed, Alfred." Francis spoke before Feliks could respond, brushing down his front, having freed himself of Kirk. "He has mostly calmed down. We may all go inside, but I would like both Feliks, Kirk and I to speak first. So…" The older only sighed. "Just wait here for a moment, Alfred. I shall return for you momentarily."_

_Feliks shrugged in bemusement, Kirk still glaring into the back of Francis' head as the three of them entered his estate. Alfred could only stare at the trio as they left him behind, in on something that Alfred had no idea about._

_What seemed like an eternity passed (an ironic statement for an immortal being) before the British Undead emerged, dusting himself off before his eyes softened at seeing Alfred. "Francis has called you in, love." Kirk said, his voice far more…muted than it had been in his fight with the older Undead._

_Alfred nodded slowly, being gestured inside as Kirk walked back in. The whispers were loud, but there was…almost a barrier between Alfred and them._

" _Ah. So you're a telepath, hmmm?" Kirk said, attempting conversation. "I can feel you poking around in there. Best you learn to be more covert in your attempts to surpass my mental block, love." The elder man smiled, but the motion was half-hearted._

" _You're a telepath?" Alfred exclaimed, shocked, and Kirk laughed._

" _No, but I was trained against them because of Caesar." Kirk snorted. "It was because Caesar is a telepath, and nothing is more annoying than having your thoughts read against your will. You have far more innate protection from that, though." Kirk sighed. "Even as a human, I imagine you would have been difficult to hypnotize…" A pause. "I am alright at hypnosis, but not in outright telepathy. Where I can manipulate humans, I would imagine you could manipulate lower ranked vampires who are not yours."_

_As they walked in the room, Feliks piped up. "He feels absolutely terrifying- stronger than I think any other vampire currently in our court at the society. Though he is untrained, I have to add. Because of that, he would simply be fodder for those like Caesar or Sadiq."_

" _What does that mean? That I 'feel' scary?" Alfred clarified, uncertain._

_Francis paused. "Feliks can sense the 'aura' of a vampire. Essentially, he can tell you how powerful an Undead will be at maximum potential, as well as what powers they might be bestowed with."_

" _Archer was just my way into America, since you are far too young to attempt crossing overseas!" Feliks winked. "It's always unpleasant, but…since you're both an undead sired from another, not pureblooded, and you're rather young… it would be dangerous for you." Feliks finished succinctly. "And because I am Polish, I wouldn't be able to get over here without someone vouching for me…aka, our illustrious soldier, who isn't a soldier at all."_

" _We ate him, Feliks." Kirk reminded with raised brow. "It doesn't matter if my being a soldier is factual, but rather if the costume works well enough to get us through this continent on our own."_

_Alfred felt slightly sick at the breakdown of human death to advance their needs, but he had fed recently enough that his human morals still lay close to the surface. The British Undead turned to him with uncertainty, but Alfred tried his best to avoid the searching look._

_Kirk stared at him for a moment longer, before breaking his stare. "Anyway, Francis." The Brit said, slowly. "We have imposed long enough. Feliks and I have business to attend to, as do you."_

_He paused._

" _Alfred, should you ever feel like finding someone in Europe to teach you about the powers of the Undead…" He said, awkward. "Know that I live in Britain, and all you must do is find my mental signature to seek me out."_

_With that, he fled for one reason or another._

_Feliks shrugged, and wished them both a good day. "Good luck studying French with Franny!" He called to Alfred. "Talk about a major nit-picker!"_

_With that, they were gone._

" _Why was he mad at you?" Alfred had to ask Francis, and Francis was also, strangely muted._

" _It was not my intention to get in his way like that." Francis admitted. "But from what I understand…my turning of you was something that has destroyed him. He had some sort of…spell, in action, but I cannot say what it was for…"_

" _Why? How would he even know me?" Alfred whispered- utterly baffled by this as he stared into the night where the two disappeared._

" _I could not speak for him on that matter." Francis murmured. "He spoke in French for a reason, my protégé. But, for my errors, I promise to teach you all I know… truthfully, if you were a lord, it is customary to leave them on their own. That would be cruel…for if fate had been different, you would have had a partner for all of your years. However, it was not so, so I will take up in their place."_

" _So, you were just trying to get rid of me, then?" Alfred asked slowly, sighing with something like defeat._

_Francis seemed not to know how to answer for a moment. It had barely been 2 decades since Alfred's human life and family had been ripped away from him, and Francis was already prepared to rid himself of the stronger Undead. "Yes, but truly Alfred- did you expect anything better from me?"_

_Blue met blue and they both knew that Alfred had, indeed, expected more of him._


	8. From Dusk Til' Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, I am having a bit of trouble pushing through, but the worst part is always starting the next chapter! But that's why you just have to get crackin' isn't it?

Humans were always too curious for their own good.

He had only just awoken from his slumber, the upset and tears- by god, was he _crying_ \- to hear a human heart beating hard only a few steps away from him. It flitted about like a bird trapped suddenly in a cage.

It knew what he was, undoubtedly. He couldn't hear thoughts, but the body of blood seemed to be pulsating with sudden fear. Teeth came unbidden, anger and distress causing his more animalistic urges to come to the surface.

Blue eyes that glowed turned to the source, and Alfred suddenly came back to himself, blinking hard as he fought down his urge to kill that whom had intruded.

Purple eyes stared back at him.

"A-Alfred?" The stuttered word was quiet, uncertain, not knowing if the light was playing tricks on him or not, undoubtedly, the scene before him damning in its nature, pardoning the irony of the word _damning_.

"Matthew, how did you get inside?" Alfred said, running a hand through his hair, his charming words escaping him altogether. He had been sleeping in a coffin, for gods sakes, and his teeth were still elongated. Belatedly, Alfred withdrew them back into his mouth, watching as Matthew flinched a bit, eyes wide with the revelation that those weren't something he could write off as a hallucination.

There was no answer for a moment while the pale human stared at him. "The doors opened for me." Matthew eventually revealed, biting his lip, and Alfred thought to the spell he had put on his estate, stating it aloud and undoubtedly confusing Arthur.

" _Be it no man but my kin and no monster but myself walk through those doors uninvited._ " Alfred recited it from memory, sighing. "Well, that confirms it, I suppose…" He muttered, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I…don't know what to tell you, Matthew. You weren't supposed to see this…"

The human's heartbeat spiked again, and Alfred sighed as he heard the typical question. "A-are you going to kill me…?"

"Gee, why do you have to make it sound like a horror movie?" Alfred pointed out, standing up. "I'm a vampire. You're the convenient little loophole to the enchantment I have on those doors."

"…You just, admit it like _that_?" Matthew looked absolutely bewildered. Alfred shrugged, standing up and dusting off himself.

"What do you want me to say…?" Alfred waited for suggestions, and when he received none, continued. "Blah, I vant to suck your blood" or… I dunno, something else? I like vampire movies, but I've never been one for the clichés…"

And just like that, Matthew's eyes rolled up into the back of his head, and the college student passed out. If Alfred were a vampire more known for his intelligence, he would have killed the other. But Alfred wasn't known for that, he was known for his emotional capacity and his tendency to be nostalgic- especially about his humanity. He picked Matthew up, and carried him to a bedroom. Not the one that remained locked since Arthurson's demise, but another with impeccable furniture from the original period Alfred had been born in.

And then he waited.

Matthew looked just like he had the day Alfred had been turned. Humans would talk about remembering a near death experience to a T, but Alfred remembered the way he had woken up with not a care in the world other than getting their daily chores done and talking to his fiancé and Matthew.

A world that he had long since forgotten in favor of this dark one, without his brother or his parents or fiancé, but rather one with immortality and power at his fingertips.

Matthew eventually stirred, but by then Alfred had found his phone and had started playing "Trump Dump" on it to fill the time.

It had been 3 days since he'd gone to sleep in his coffin, and he had texted Arthur that he had just gotten home.

Matthew came too, and felt the sheets in confusion, sitting up before remembering where he was and staring at Alfred as though he were an enigma.

"I've not eaten you or done anything, if that's what you're worried about." Alfred said freely. "I _am_ a bit hungry, but I can get blood later, since sleeping doesn't really take up a lot of energy."

"So, you're actually…"

"A vampire." Alfred agreed.

"And you're playing…neko atsume?" Matthew could only blink in response, since he was so surprised at the very _normal_ life Alfred seemed to live.

"Real animals tend to think ill of me." He yawned as he set his phone down. "Which sucks, cause I love them, but it comes with the territory of being…well. A vampire." He said it again, making a face at the strangeness of it. It sounded rather out of place.

"You said something about me being a loophole?" Matthew murmured, unsure of himself.

The vampire sighed, before giving in. "I honestly do think you're a reincarnation of my brother, Matthew Jones. He was probably reincarnated into William Jones, and now you're here, Matthew Williams. I told the spell that no one but myself and my kin can enter uninvited. Technically, that means you're my kin, which would be why you could enter the house."

"I didn't enter, like…I didn't try to open the door." Matthew frowned. "I didn't even mean to do it. The door simply…opened for me."

"Oh." He made a face. "That's…weird."

"Yeah." Matthew agreed belatedly, unsure of what to say as he sat up. "So…you're not going to kill me…?"

"Don't see a reason to." Alfred admitted. "I dislike killing humans to begin with these days, let alone those who are my brother. I'll feed later. For now…uh, anything you wanna know?"

The Foreign exchange student stared, open-mouthed in shock.

"How old are you?" He asked, excitement seeming to overtake him. "Do you fight in wars? Can I see your teeth up close?"

"I'm over 400." Alfred hummed. "I've fought in a lot of wars, strangely not in Iraq like my alibi suggests, and sure." He extended them. "Try not to cut yourself on them, it's not that I can't control myself, it's that it causes…sexual reactions in humans. And that'd be weird."

Matthew gave him a look, but eagerly stepped over and looked at Alfred's fangs.

"They were longer…" Matthew murmured, obviously confused. "I swear, they had been longer…"

" _Oh_." Alfred pushed his hands away, before extending them all the way, liking the catch between horror and amazement on his kind of brother's expression before he felt the invading hands on the extended teeth.

"This is fascinating! Your fangs are…retractable?" Matthew laughed, delighted. "I'm an anthropology major, sorry, I work on ancient humans all the time and compare them to the modern ones, but your fangs…they're so different to anything I've studied."

Alfred politely pushed Matthew's hands away from his mouth in order to speak. "Well, part of that issue is that I'm not human, part of the issue is I was born in Puritanical times."

"You were a Puritan?" Matthew eyes bulged. "Which ship did you come on over?"

"I don't remember what ship my parents said they came over on." Alfred admitted. "Mother and Father would sometimes mention it, but I had been a selfish kid. Plus, you and I were born after we landed here… And don't leave yourself out of it. Like I said, you're my brother's soul walking again on this earth."

The human stared at him, skeptical of this claim. "Is that even possible?"

"Most vampires swear that they meet the same people." Alfred admitted. "We meet lots of new ones, but every once in a while… that love you had as a child, a long lost relative… a good friend who died for you…they come back. Not always the same in every way, but same in the way that counts."

"Well, I'm meeting something else that's only from books…" Matthew admitted quietly, seeming to go along with the idea for the moment.

Now that the initial rush of excitement had passed, Alfred's stomach sank. "Just…don't tell anyone about…well, this, me… _any_ of it, really." He said, biting his lip. "I'll get in a lot of trouble with the Society if they knew I told you…"

"There's more than just you?" Matthew was suddenly rushed back into the excitement. "How many vampires exist?"

"Uhm." Alfred blinked, unsure of how to proceed. "I don't think that I can tell you how many of us there are, its classified information that we exist at all…Keep in mind, they're going to punish me to ensure this doesn't get out…and I'm the vampire. You're a human- they'd eliminate the threat if they ever found out about you."

"Oh." Excitement faded, and the realization of what he was faced with kicked in. "You're hundreds of years old, and there are others who are older?"

"Yao and Sadiq would kick my ass if they knew what I had told you." He murmured, frightened for Matthew's safety, and then bitterness filled him. "Probably would kill you before even getting a single word out of you…"

He had never gotten the answer as to who had drained his brother back _then_ , either.

"…But I _won't_ let them hurt you." Alfred muttered, determination rising inside of him. "I lost you once, Matthew. I won't see it happen again. Not when I can stop it this time. You're going to move into my home." He said immediately. "It's not the first time I've housed humans. There's another vampire- at least one I know of, possibly two."

Matthew looked extremely out of his depth. "But I live in the dorms, Alfred…" He reminded.

"I can pay you back for the financial loss of not actually living there." Alfred was firm. "I lost Matthew back then because a vampire drained him and he became a ghoul. I will _not_ watch that happen again."

"Am I actually in danger?" Matthew said, seeming to grow scared. "I'm not going to tell anyone! They'll _kill_ me?"

"I won't see you harmed." Alfred suddenly stood. "You're in danger, but I won't let them hurt you or worse…"

His brother's worried face looked so similar to what it had been back _then_ as well. "I hope that you're wrong about them, Alfred… but if you're not, then I hope that I won't regret coming to know you."

XXXXX

Alfred first helped Matthew move his belongings into one of his rooms from the dorm. Matthew explained that his roommate wasn't ever around, so it'd be better to live with someone, and he jokingly said that Alfred was interesting enough of a person.

"What do you do with your free time?" Matthew tried to ask, curious about what a vampire would…actually do with spare time.

The vampire gave the human the most unimpressed look. "Truly, Matthew?" He asked dryly. He faked a long-suffering sigh. "I mean; if I have an eternity, is there something I've not done? Well, the answer is I do a lot of things."

"How does… _feeding_ work?" He asked, curious, and Alfred flinched at the awkward wording.

"One, Matthew, most people still don't even know that vampires exist. So let's wait for those sorts of questions until we're back on my estate before someone is accusing me of being a cannibal." Alfred muttered, rubbing his forehead as a headache came on.

"Well then, what about sunlight? You're turning awfully red, but not bursting into flames, nor are you sparkling." Matthew noted curiously.

"I'm turning red because I'm hungry." Alfred admitted. "If you hadn't been who you are, I would have gladly eaten you back at my house." He growled, and Matthew jumped back a little, surprised at the flash of red in his eyes. He paused, before continuing to follow him.

"But, you didn't." Matthew murmured thoughtfully, seeming to chew on that one for a bit. "So…you need to eat?"

"Correct." Alfred muttered. "Honestly, _most_ beings do. I've not heard of one that doesn't require some sort of energy in order to survive."

"Are you alive?" Matthew whispered as they arrived at the car, and Alfred sighed, gave a paltry grin as he opened the passenger side door.

"Depends on the definition, I'm afraid. I don't have a heartbeat, and I don't actually need to breathe." He muttered as they sat down in Matthew's car, the younger human putting his seatbelt on, Alfred doing the same out of respect, and not need for it. "I do breathe since humans find it alarming if I don't, and in order to speak."

"What do your insides look like?" Matthew's question was more on the morbid side, but Alfred shrugged nonchalantly.

"Vampires turn into dust when we die. It's impossible to know what they look like because we can't really study a living vampire." He hummed looking around the inside of the vehicle with carefully hidden curiosity. He rarely ever used these…

The human raised eyebrows, before nodding in understanding. Matthew turned on his car and then paused with his hand on the clutch. "Does…Arthur know? Yanno… that you're…?" Matthew tentatively asked him, making Alfred stop suddenly.

The vampire looked at his hands, first wondering how Arthur and Matthew even met each other, and attempted to figure out how to answer the question.

"No, and I plan on keeping it that way." Alfred admitted after a moment of contemplation more. "Nothing good…comes out of vampires and humans together. Nothing."

Matthew swallowed thickly, unsure of how to interpret that. "If that's true…what about me?" He mumbled.

"Technically speaking, I was going to see if someone else could transform you." He mumbled. "Francis, maybe. I'd rather not cross that line between us, since transforming another into a vampire requires…an exchange, of sorts." He rubbed the nape of his neck, before pulling on the edge of his shirt. "A _sexual_ exchange, if you get what I mean. But if you're not interested in becoming a vampire, I won't force the issue."

Alfred's words had caused Matthew to freeze. "I…I don't know what I want." He murmured, eyes wide as he stared at the vampire's red eyes. "I want…some time to think about it. And to know more about this…choice."

The vampire nodded, closing red eyes and reopening blue. "That's fine, Matt. Again, I won't force this issue. It's a complicated issue, and I'm hardly the ideal person, mostly because I've never turned anyone, and in part because my own transformation was hardly…telling of what happens to humans after they are turned."

Matthew nodded, looking down at the wheel of the car, before pulling it out of its space and turning forward, heading back to Alfred's estate.

"Why is that?" He asked, curious but there was also something that wasn't curious. He wanted to know, and he didn't want to know.

"I turned into a rather powerful vampire." He admitted. "It is rare to keep my level of self-consciousness and even more rare to not be under the control of whoever turned you…" Alfred paused, suddenly remembering his transformation better.

" _Fuck_. Perhaps it's not a smart idea to ask Francis…" He muttered. "He's a bastardly man, I don't believe he'd be…sympathetic to you. He's a misanthrope at best, and at his worst I imagine he'd report me… Maybe Gilbert…but he's a nutjob." He sighed, uncertain of where to turn to. "Ah well. I'll figure out your options."

Matthew nodded, staring at the road ahead but even as his gaze focused intensely in front of him, Alfred knew that perhaps he was seeing something different.

XXXXX

A few hours later had Alfred pacing about his living like a caged animal, the hunger inside of him growing. Matthew looked worried, but had drawn the curtains closed like the man had asked him to.

"Why are you doing that?" The teen eventually asked him, staring at the vampire in curiosity.

"Like I said, Matt. I'm _hungry_." Alfred muttered, eyes tinged red. "I need to get my hands on a human. Arthur preferably, but I'm not picky… I misjudged how much blood I'd need while I was asleep, else I would have eaten closer to when I had slept."

"Is _that_ why you're dating him?" Matthew asked, eyes bulging in a combination of shock and disgust. Alfred waved a hand in dismissal at the question.

"Not just for that. He is also my type." He admitted nonchalantly. "But I won't deny that I drink from him without his knowledge. I am one of the rare vampires who can control human minds. If I can't ensure your safety than I will turn my rather powerful hypnotic abilities on you Matt. I don't really want to, but I also don't want you to die because of me." He shrugged, uncaring of the fact this way of going about it was very cold. That didn't connect with his increasingly beastly mind.

Matthew didn't know how to answer that, and so switched the topic carefully. "You were out for a while." He admitted. "Arthur told me that you said you were on vacation. It's been about a week and a half since then. I visited you because it's the weekend again."

"Mmm." Alfred hummed in distaste as he looked at him once again, pausing in his frantic motions. "No wonder I'm starved. Well, not truly starved, but hungrier than I like to be."

"It's changed your personality a bit." Matthew tentatively murmured, unsure of why and curious.

Alfred went back to pacing as he answered. "Truly, it is because vampirism transforms the entire human- mind, body and soul. When I am less hungry, I tend to be more like I used to." He muttered, rubbing his forehead. "But when I get hungry…" He growled, tepid. "I lose sight of what little of my humanity remains. The longer I go without food, the most _distasteful_ I will be."

"How does that work?" Matthew asked, sensing that Alfred wouldn't get mad for asking those questions now. "What determines how much food you need?"

"Ugh." Alfred rolled his eyes. "Our thirst is greatly exaggerated, Matthew. We don't need to drink and drain multiple humans. We simply need to keep around the full blood content of a human our size inside for resources. If it goes below that amount, then we're hungry. The lower it gets, the more inhuman we become. Our eyes turn red, our fangs come out…etc."

He smiled humorlessly, pointing to the lengthening items.

Matthew stared at them, before letting out a guffaw, obviously at the ridiculousness of it all. "Why on earth do vampires have to be so…phallic?" He shook his head, snickering at him. Alfred had been thrown left field. "My god. Why does everything have to come down to sex?"

The vampire stared, unable to follow the humans train of thought. He sat down, trying to conserve himself until nightfall, his cell phone in the other room. He hadn't yet texted Arthur to say he had come "back" from his "vacation".

It might be that he didn't understand why he had been pressed to dream those items to begin with.

He knew Kirk Archer, and it was vaguely strange that he looked like an older, shittier version of Arthur Kirkland, but why was the person he had been in his dream been someone other than himself? Jonathon Alford had been the name he had used then.

As he sat there and contemplated over this, he went deeper into his past. He thought further back. The dream had pointed to a fictional or real meeting…with first Arthur, then James, than Kirk, and then he had no longer been Alfred, but had seen Kirk once again.

And something hit the vampire that struck him as particularly odd. Kirk had looked younger in the dream portion than he had in Alfred's memory portion of him.

" _Al! Don't get too upset that our current Oracle isn't as good as his mom was. As it turned out and definitely as I found out, sometimes, knowing your fate made it even less clear than before! No need to feel bad about being in the dark like the rest of humanity these days!"_

Sadiq's words haunted him, just as Kirk's did. " _My love, what I want, I can never have."_

Another voice shouted farther back in the recesses of his mind. He almost couldn't place the voice, but it had to be from Kirk.

_"Please, please my love, please don't_ _**leave** _ _me…"_

He couldn't place when that was said in time, and though he knew it was said by Kirk- that was all he knew of that phrase. It was strange in how he couldn't recall the scenario it was said to him by.

Matthew broke his silent contemplation and interrupted the revelation mid- thought, the mysterious door to the strange half-memory closing just as Alfred's mental process did. "The sun's gone down, Alfred." He murmured. "You should go get…what you need."

"Indeed." Alfred agreed, eyes narrowing as he hid his beastly appearance the best he could, his powers filling him. "I will return later, dear Matthew. Stay inside, it will protect you."

"I have class tomorrow, Alfred." Matthew pointed out wittily as he took out his homework and some blankets to lie down and get work done for school. "I'll be leaving tomorrow morning around 10. See you tomorrow night, probably."

XXXXX

" _Sodomite!" He shouted into the darkness, fear and anger and worry tangible, more so than the person he knew was around him somewhere._

" _My goodness, Commodore. I swear, you remember your favorite insult that you remember me. You can't even see me." The voice, the_ _ **voice**_ _, it was irritatingly familiar and the person's name was just on the tip of his tongue. He didn't know his own name but the moniker of Commodore didn't seem right either._

" _Sodomite! Reveal yourself!" He shouted again, frightened and alone even though something deep inside him told him that he wasn't alone, that this wasn't right, but if this wasn't right, then what was? What ever could he do to get this feeling of reality breaking before him across?_

_A dramatic sigh, and the presence left the room, and he tripped over himself, landing flat on the floor and curling up into a ball, sobs heaving in his chest. He didn't understand, he didn't_ _**understand!** _ _Why didn't his words reach him?_

_Why wasn't that voice with him? Why did his words no longer reach him? Didn't the other once said he loved him? The fog around him parted briefly, and he gained a strange half sense of awareness._

" _I'm sorry_." _The words stumble out of their own accord. "I'm sorry, so sorry, I don't want to be alone...I don't want to be alone… Don't leave me…" His face felt wet, and he didn't know why. Cold fingers against his cheeks made him shiver uncontrollably, the surprise and gladness filling him as he felt strong arms lift him._

" _You are downright_ _ **pitiful**_ _, my dear Commodore Arthurson." The voice admonished him sarcastically. "You're_ _ **blind**_ _, James, and if you don't remember any longer your crewmates threw you overboard and left you for dead after you got shot in the head. And now the Empire's left you over here to rot, as we've Americans have won the war." James didn't sound right either, but at the mention of his crew he started to sob harder. "Shhh, please stop crying…" That cold hand stroked his back to comfort him. "I took you in out of the little goodness remaining in me, and it's not nice to keep calling me that name, you know."_

_The man grasped the cold one tighter, his sobs impossible to stop._

" _Come now, to bed with you." The voice said after a moment, sighing dramatically. "I don't know what on earth is going through your head. Is anything going through your head? That might be the better question. Well, other than air. That bullet did more harm than good, I'd imagine."_

" _B-bullet?" He stuttered in confusion, making the cold person holding pause in his motions._

" _Goodness, so things do get through to you every now and again. I've told you what feels like a thousand times. You got_ _ **shot**_ _through your brain, my dear James. And then you were nearly drowned. But your body refused to die." He felt the hands grip him. "And now you're blind and an amnesiac- Unable to form new memories and essentially unable to recall the past. Except, it seems, your favorite insult for me. Do you even know my name?"_

" _Yes- you're Alford." He nodded firmly. He knew the name, it came to him unbidden, but there was another sigh. Was this man_ _ **not**_ _his beloved John Alford? He_ _ **was**_ _\- he_ _ **had**_ _to be- Kirk recognized the gentle hands and the chastising of the man he knew to be his beloved. He remembered how they called each other sodomite jokingly in the street when they had first met. Didn't Alford? Didn't he?_

" _I shouldn't have expected you to get it right. Figures you'd get it wrong. My_ _ **name**_ _is Alfred, not 'Alford'. I don't even believe Alford is a first name, but rather, a last name." The cold man sounded exasperated, and he lost his clarity as the cold one muttered about how it was befitting that he would get his name wrong, even now. "Alfred F. Jones, mind you."_

_The moment departed, and he started to try and shove off the unfamiliar hands._

" _Sodomite! Let go of me! Let_ _ **go!**_ "

Green eyes burst open, breathing hard as he felt fear settle in, before his eyes adjusted to the light. He wasn't blind. It had been…a nightmare, a very _strange_ nightmare. Alfred had been in there, but he had been two different people- one to Alfred, and another person to himself, albeit briefly.

The names were all wrong. John Alford, what he had called Alfred. Commodore James Arthurson, and then Kirk were his identities. He had those selves and he also had none, but now he knew that he was Arthur Kirkland.

The accent was different from his own, as were the sort of…old-timey quality to the words expressed by Alfred.

The person he had been in the dream had suffered a brain injury- and from Alfred's words, very specifically a gunshot wound to the head. Commodore James Arthurson, the name rang a strange bell through him. Not one of recognition, but one of perhaps the feelings that came of seeing a face that you saw on a road once in another random crowd- one you'd seen before and maybe will never see again, but you don't know on any level other than the bare surface.

"Kiku, are you here?" Arthur called out into the darkness, curious as he rubbed his eyes and reached for the string of his bedside lamp. When there was no answer, he sighed. The man who had been caring for him was undoubtedly asleep. It was likely the middle of the fucking night.

Alfred hadn't messaged him at all, which was strange, but he had also never even read his texts. Kiku had earlier jokingly said that perhaps Alfred was actually a secret agent for the US government, and was in deep cover here in New York, but after the nightmare…something itched within him and he couldn't quite tell what it was that he was half dreaming about.

He grabbed his computer, and turned it on despite how it made his head pound, looking on one of those old databases of military officers. Commodore James had seemed English in his dream, and what he found was highly disturbing.

"Commodore James Arthurson, born 1751, served as a naval officer during the American Revolution, died in battle, 1780." But the dream…it had taken place after the end of the Revolution, as Alfred in it had told him plainly. More importantly, why on Earth had Arthur even dreamt of this person? Why was it important? He searched the database for Kirk Archer, Alfred Jones, and Jon Alford, but found nothing else in the British military.

But Alfred hadn't been in the British army. He'd served for the Americans, obviously.

He opened up a new browser, searching the USA's databases.

There was only a small tidbit that Arthur could find- a letter written by one "Alfred Jones", who was otherwise an anonymous donor of money to the American Government, and speculated that he had fought in the Revolutionary war on his own terms, but there wasn't much to document his existence other than his letter and checks.

The computer was making his head pound, so he closed it, and he figured he'd have to look at this again in the morning. His head injury was making him think weird things. He must have read about Arthurson somewhere, and Alfred Jones was likely just a common name, even more so in that time.

Alfred's words from the other day suddenly haunted him in the darkness. " _Do you believe in…I dunno…fate?"_

That was right, Alfred had even asked him about it- did he believe that sometimes, people were just…meant for each other.

He sighed with a tired smile. "I really must have underestimated that head injury, if I'm considering the possibility of reincarnation!" He giggled to himself, making fun of the ludicrousness of the very idea he had briefly thought on to ignore the strangeness of his dreams of late. His thoughts were broken by a yawn. "I should really sleep…hopefully it'll make more sense in the morning." He murmured, lying back down under his blankets, and prepared to fall back to sleep.

Just as he was on the verge of rest, red eyes gleamed above his bed, and he remembered no more after that, eyes lulling shut in an obedient haze.

XXXXX

Arthur woke in the morning, confused, unable to remember what precisely happened in the moment between awareness and unconsciousness, only really knowing that something had happened. His befuddlement was interrupted as he heard voices in the kitchen, recognizing them instantly as Kiku and Alfred.

Alfred was back from his vacation? He didn't have his cell, so he assumed it could be true…

He groaned, stretching and yawning sleepily as he rubbed his eyes and wondered how to get his wheelchair. The noise stopped, and a familiar face popped into the room from the cracked door. "Hey, Artie." He said quietly. "I got here a bit ago…Kiku's making you breakfast. Do you need any help?"

The man came into the room, and Arthur smiled, shifting slightly to the edge of the bed so that he could get into the wheelchair as Alfred brought it over. He felt rather dizzy, but dismissed it for the time being, gladly switching over to the chair and curling into the blanket as Alfred tucked him in.

"How was your trip?" Arthur asked with a yawn distorting his words slightly, leaning against the back of the wheelchair, still rather tired as Alfred even gently ruffled his hair.

His skin was slightly warmer than it was before, but it still made him shiver slightly of cold. "Alfred, you're always so damned cold." He muttered, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Guess you'll just need to warm me up, babe!" He winked, seeming rather jovial. "And my trip was…nice. Ran into some friends I hadn't seen in a while." He admitted. "It was a family matter, had to leave in the middle of the night 'cause it was an emergency." He explained neatly.

"Oh?" Arthur smiled, vaguely interested. "You've never introduced me…"

"I'm an orphan." Alfred clarified. "My parents died and left me their place… It was for extended family and wills, n' junk. You met Matthew, didn't you?" He said, suddenly. "The kid's my cousin. His parents are having trouble and contacted me, since they knew I lived nearby. They didn't want him to know about it, so I just told him that he should come live with me! Lonely house, you see." He laughed, blue eyes happy.

Which explained their similar appearances, and made Arthur smile easier. "That does…make sense. He seemed like a decent enough person, though he was confused on where you had run off to… did you two not know?"

"My dad and his parents had a falling out." Alfred explained with a somber tone, though something felt…off about it. "His brother had reached out to the address, only to find out that dad's been dead a long time. Neither of us really knew what to feel about that, but he likes me well enough, and his kid's nice."

Arthur concluded that Alfred might blame his uncle for not caring more about him when he was younger. "When did your parents die?" He asked, quietly, sympathetic to Alfred.

"I was 15." He sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck. "It sucks, but I get along fine these days."

"My brothers practically raised me from when I was 10." Arthur revealed, eyes soft as he put his hand over Alfred's. "They also work in the force, we all do really, 'cept for Peter, who is still in school…" He sighed. "Dad wasn't ever around, and once mum died, there wasn't a point to waiting on him to take care of us anymore."

"Have you told them about what's happened?" Alfred asked, curious.

"I told them I had a concussion." Arthur was stiff now. "I didn't want to worry them too much, honestly. If they knew I had surgery, they'd go mental…undoubtedly, they would come over here to take care of me, and it would simply be overbearing… not to mention they would drive me mad with their hopeless nagging and irritation with me."

"You should call them." Alfred suggested quietly. "I'd want to know if my family member had been so close to death. They'd probably be mad you didn't tell them sooner, but…then you'll have more hands on deck. Meaning, you'll be able to recover faster."

He hummed, sighing. "My partner will also want to know, damned frog was the one who sent me to the hospital to _begin_ with…I suppose I have him to thank for meeting you and living…"

"Frog?" Alfred blinked, confused.

"Ah." Arthur waved a hand. "It's my nickname for the damned Frenchmen who works with me. He pisses me off so much! Bastard joined the force after me and yet was in the field so much sooner. He was on a private search for a few things, he mentioned."

The vampire took this into account, sighing. "Yeah, you probably should. What's his name?" Alfred nabbed Arthur's phone for him before he started wheeling him out of the room, humming softly.

Arthur yawned again, closing his eyes. "Francis Bonnefoy."

He was jerked out of rest as the wheelchair stopped abruptly, and Arthur's head swiveled to look at Alfred with confusion.

Blue eyes were hard, and his whole body was tense. "French, roughly 26 or so…?" He muttered, anger growing in his eyes and body.

"Why, Alfred? What's the matter?" He asked, confused all of a sudden, before Alfred's eyes suddenly widened in shock.

"I'm going to kill him." His words were clearly not meant for Arthur to hear, but he heard them anyway. "First Ivan, then Heracles, now Francis too? What in _the name of the devil_ is going on?"

"Alfred…?" Arthur's voice was timid, frightened as Alfred's grip on the wheelchair seemed tighter than it need be.

Blue eyes turned on him once more, and Alfred blinked, rubbing away his shock.

"Sorry, Arthur." He murmured, suddenly sheepish. "Francis…is a relative, you might say. We don't often…see eye to eye." He coughed. "Mind if I sneak out… I'm going to give him a call, to ask him…why hadn't he stopped by!" He grinned, but there was something else behind it, something angry just beneath the surface.

Arthur didn't get a moment, Alfred storming out with darkened blue eyes.

Cell phone in hand, he turned it on and unlocked it easily, before going to another room and closing the door. Kiku came over, looking confused as he pushed Arthur the rest of the way to the kitchen, putting a plate of food in front of him.

"Francis?" Kiku asked, quietly. "I had been under the impression he had no friends. How do they know each other? And who was Ivan? Why is Heracles important to this?"

"I don't know." Arthur stared, uncertain of what the future held for them.

XXXXX

"Why, hello Rosbif. Glad to know you survived." A dry, unfortunately familiar French voice hit Alfred's ears, and the other vampire growled.

"Cut the shit, Francis." He muttered, eyes narrowing as he stared at the floating glasses as his unfortunate "reflection".

"…Alfred?" At least he had the decency to sound cowed upon recognizing the voice of the vampire he had turned. "W-What are you doing with Arthur's phone?"

"This is my turf." He scowled. "How dare you presume that you can come over here without even so much as contacting me! Ivan is here, and Heracles as well! How many more vampires will I find here without my notice!" He whispered harshly into the receiver.

"Unfortunately, I believe more than you would like, Alfred." Francis admitted. "I received permission from the society to come here undercover. We have reason to suspect that Ivan Braginsky is making a large number of vampires here- in an attempt to rid himself of you, undoubtedly."

Alfred rubbed his temples. "Satan's asshole, Francis. You could have told me that you were here."

"The walls have eyes, dear Alfred." Francis muttered, sounding only half-apologetic. "If I had contacted you, my cover would have been blown. I have undeniable reason to think that you are being watched, my dear creation."

"…What do you mean, reason?" Alfred asked, voice slow.

"I mean, Alfred, have you not noticed that humans that get close to you…have been targeted? I know a few of the nurses at the hospital you work at- those who were a little strangely into you…they have turned up dead. Or missing for a few days, before coming back to work. You're being watched, dear Alfred."

Something heavy sank to the bottom of Alfred's stomach.

" _Matthew_." He whispered with growing horror, fear gripping him suddenly as he realized that the boy, the boy would be at school- alone, unguarded, out of Alfred's home. "Francis, if I have ever meant anything to you, you will meet me at my house."

With that, he hung up; his face pale as he left the bathroom. Haunted by the mistake of his past- and unwilling to allow it to happen again. He wouldn't let the past repeat itself.

"I have to go." He stated suddenly even as Kiku and Arthur stared at him, setting down Arthur's phone. His panic rendered him unable to hear the human's varied confused words, racing out of the home as fast as (humanly) possible, not quite ready to give away himself to Arthur or Kiku.

He just hoped that he wouldn't be too late, for if he was, then Alfred couldn't bare the thought of needing to fight Matthew once more.

Humans were always too curious for their own good, this was something he knew, but the greater thought was that he had known this might happen.

After all…nothing good ever came of the mingling of humans and vampires.


	9. The Vampire Tapestry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So strange that this chapter and chapter 4 aren't broken up by Interludes, isn't it? Good thing that this and the next chapter are- you guessed it- the climax culminating into the finale of this fic! (but not the finale). There's gonna be 2 other side stories after chapter 6 of main story/chapter 10 overall. I might go back and clean up/add stuff while I work on the main piece!
> 
> Now, where did we leave our dashing vampire off…?

The boy had made it to school that day, in one piece. However after his classes had been finished, no one knew where Alfred might find him, even as he combed through their brains as though they were filing cabinets, leaving human after unknowledgeable human dazed and feeling violated.

Matthew hadn't been joking when he said he hadn't had friends, something Alfred felt guilty for. He and Matthew had always been the best of friends when he had been human.

His nose told him where he was before he heard screams of passerby's.

And after he arrived ears told him of the faintly drumming heartbeat within a rapidly dying body.

Matthew had been partially consumed, and not violated. The side of his arm gaped open as though a vampire had bitten it off altogether, and the boy was pale in shock, gasping, dying breaths escaping from his throat. Humans could not save him.

But Alfred _could_.

Without care for those who saw, Alfred rushed in and picked up the younger man- his brother felt so frail in his arms, almost like he was trying to clutch the soul of the man centuries before- before running off to a darker corner, dumping his saliva on it. He ignored the perverseness of Matthew's weak groans, but was rewarded when the bleeding stopped for the time being. It gave him more time to act.

He ran in the shadows, trying his damnedest not to be seen by the livestock around him, eyes wide and red in his panic and his anger as he arrived at his house, seeing Francis Bonnefoy already there, staring at the human with something akin to guilt on his face.

"Bring him in, Alfred." He murmured.

Not needing to be told to enter his own home, Alfred gave Francis the permission to enter and settled Matthew down on the carpet in the entrance room. "Do it here. Do it now."

"Alfred." Francis whispered.

"He's still alive Francis!" He said loudly. "I can hear his heartbeat!"

"As can I, my dear, but…" He looked to Matthew. "He is weak."

"I don't care." Alfred shouted, firmly set in his position. "I told him I would not let him be killed! This is my fault, Francis! Do it!"

"You may have not saved him, Alfred. Please, remember that I warned you." He said, before his fangs delicately sank into his neck, and sucked almost all of what remained. He sliced open his wrist, before suckling it and making a face, and then leaned back down to Matthew as he undoubtedly gave the young man his blood.

"Alfred, my dear…you might want to leave the room for this part…I will come get you once it is over." He murmured, strangely humble. As though he knew that this was his fault for not telling Alfred sooner. That if Matthew died, if Matthew were no longer who he had been before… it would be Alfred's fault.

Alfred almost felt tears come to his eyes as he watched Matthew's pale form become ashen with bloodlessness. He knew what came next.

"Certainly, Francis." He choked on his words, knowing that if he could have, he would have cried.

With a final, broken stare at Matthew's prone form, Alfred left the room, and descended to his basement, where he crawled into the coffin where the teen had found him less than 3 days before. And he lay there, unable to cry, unable to move, unable to answer Arthur's increasingly desperate text messages.

As silence drew over, he eventually texted him back, having worked through his immediate feelings.

"Matthew was nearly killed today. He's in critical condition." He texted Arthur, unsure of how to lie about how serious the attempt was. "I can't talk right now, but…we're not sure if he's going to make it. We have reason to think that it was a serial killer."

Alfred then set the fragile device down, ignoring the voice in his mind telling him to crush it. He simply curled in the coffin, awaiting for the damning noises upstairs to stop reminding him of his mistakes.

XXXXX

After sending what felt like 70 messages of varying degrees of desperate questions, Arthur finally got one back from Alfred.

He gasped, making Kiku glance at him from where he was leaving Heracles a confused voicemail. He had been recording it for an hour and then deleting it before trying again.

This time he just hung up, completely unsure of what to say.

"It's his cousin." Arthur murmured. "Matthew, the one we met the other day. He said the boy was nearly…murdered. He might not make it."

Kiku went solemn. They had not spoken much, but the boy was young. A college student, who seemed nice enough, and they weren't sure how to deal with the knowledge that someone had hurt the boy with the intention of ending his life, and though he was still alive, he might not make it through.

"He's probably with the boy. He must have known Francis…somehow. But I don't understand how… _Unless_ …?" Arthur's eyes widened. "I'm an idiot. Francis probably found him and since he knows Alfred told him that his cousin was in the hospital."

Kiku nodded, relieved. "Ah right. I had forgotten that Alfred was on the phone with your partner in the bathroom…"

"I'll ask Francis how he and Alfred know each other." He exclaimed with sudden determination filling him, but when he called Francis' number, it went to voicemail. "That's weird." He murmured. "The frog always answers it. But, typical to not answer when I actually need his help." Arthur rolled his eyes, but the gesture was empty. His boyfriend was suffering, alone with a dying relative.

"I should go to see him." Arthur mumbled, but Kiku put his hand over Arthur's to quietly reassure him.

"We should give them space." He replied gently, handing Arthur his pain pills, remaining antibiotics, and a glass of water. "And you're stressing yourself out. It'll give you a headache, and you know it. Eat, and take your medication. Alfred will call you later."

He agreed, looking down at his meal from his wheelchair and hoping that things will come to light sometime, and hopefully, sometime soon.

Kiku turned on the news, and the two gasped as they saw a sketch suddenly on the TV- looking for none other than a man who was identical to their mysterious Alfred, with the newscaster solemnly having a section on a brutal attack and the victim, not yet identified, being whisked away by this mysterious man.

XXXXX

Alfred's quiet was interrupted by a French voice, which though he had tried to be quiet had broken the silence, and so had disturbed Alfred anyway.

"It's done, Alfred. It's best if we put him somewhere dark…that coffin you're lying in would actually be a very good place." He admitted. The American sighed dramatically, before Francis knocked over the coffin and sent him sprawling with some minor telekinesis. "Good heavens, Alfred. Belt up with your whining. He's a corpse like us now, and he needs a place to let the change occur. I've never seen you act so melodramatic anyway."

"How did you deal with me?" He asked as he rubbed his head, as he couldn't really remember the details after the draining and then the half-remembered sex, and completely ignoring the accusation of being overdramatic.

"I buried you in the ground. Traditionally, the transformation takes 3 days for those of borrowed blood. Fresh-blooded vampires take roughly 12 hours, while ghouls can turn in a matter of minutes, up to 3 hours. Any longer than that and they will not become a ghoul, and you may bury the corpse without fear." Francis recited, gently setting Matthew's corpse down into the coffin, the body limp and his skin grey and cold.

"If the transformation has taken, in a day or so his complexion will have improved somewhat, and his wounds will have started healing." He clapped his hands. "I will need to file that I have created a new vampire."

"I will do it, Francis." Alfred said, tiredly. "If he's not strong enough to break out of your control I will simply take him into my court."

Francis nodded, shrugging. "It is up to you then. Might I get an explanation as to why you are so attached to this human?"

"Francis." Alfred murmured, looking down at Matthew. "Surely…you see the resemblance."

"All humans look similar to me." He waved a hand. "But I suppose that you too look remarkably similar. In fact, I do believe you tasted similar too. But it's been centuries since I drank your blood, and I could be wrong. Even then, humans genetically have people who look remarkably similar to them somewhere in the world."

"I think this young man is the reincarnation of my brother." Alfred stated firmly. "His name was Matthew too. I thought years back that the hunter who tracked you down, William, was a reincarnation of him as well. This young man…is named Matthew Williams, and like William himself, this man is a descendent of my actual brother."

Blue met blue, and after a moment, Francis sighed as they looked away from each other. "Alfred, my dear, if I was not studying a reincarnation case at this current moment, I wouldn't believe you."

"Who are you studying?" Alfred's eyes flitted up to meet his again, confusion growing. "And by the way, why is everything going above my head with the society? I dislike that you're here without contacting me, but I understand if it's an assignment. Heracles is here for pleasure, and I found out by surprise that he was here without my permission."

Francis shrugged. "You could bring that up with Yao or Sadiq, however, it's not within my jurisdiction to get between quarreling vampires." He waved a hand. "However, dear Ivan has a target planted on the back of those you care about, and that is why I'm here."

He made a gesture, and closed the coffin's lid over Matthew. How strange it was that the boy had only just found Alfred in that the other day, and now he was being shut in it- hopefully to wake up once more with new life, but it wasn't guaranteed.

He had looked fragile in death.

Was this what it was like to see the one you love get taken away? He didn't love Matthew as a lover, no. He was his brother, and he had lost him once. He couldn't imagine losing him now, when it would be his fault for not protecting the young man.

Francis remained quiet, before walking out of the room. Alfred followed him.

"What can we do about Ivan? He's grown powerful." Alfred growled, staring at the table. "He's gone too far." His elder nodded gravely.

"Unfortunately Alfred, I am here on reconnaissance _only_." Francis shrugged. "I can definitely say to them that Ivan is at risk of compromising the vampire world as a whole, and his dangerous actions to rid this world of you hold great threat to those few of us who remain. But it would not be wise to go up against him with just you and I."

"What do you suggest, then?" Alfred pointed out sharply, anger starting to boil inside of him.

"Well, obviously the answer is to see if he's healing in a bit, get some food here, and wait out the few days until Matthew wakes up hungry. From there…eh." He made a noncommittal wave of his hand. "We contact the society."

Something twisted in Alfred's gut, and strangely familiar green eyes pierced the knot.

"W-wait, as nice as that would be, there is a human I left out there. The issue would be the fact…that I can't well keep him here without him knowing something was up." He sighed.

Francis rolled his eyes again. "Again with the melodrama, my dear. You are extremely gifted in hypnosis, among other things. You are the next Lord of the Damned, and Ivan knows it. He is the other powerful vampire, and to him you, and everyone you love, are stepping stones on his way to power."

"It's Arthur." Alfred revealed without bothering to be quiet. "I cannot see him get involved in this."

"Alfred. You have _hypnosis_. You can simply keep him here for a few days and blame it on Ivan later." He waved a hand dismissively.

But something got caught in Alfred's throat. Yes, he saw Arthur as a pet, but he was human and that was all there was too it. That didn't mean he wanted him to be _hurt_. Especially not because he had come to know of Alfred.

" _Heracles."_ Alfred sent out through his mind, calling out to the vampire. " _Protect Kiku. I am going to take Arthur tonight. Ivan has attacked one of my own. Protect yours."_

He then sighed, and rubbed his temples. Heracles was telling Alfred that he was on his way to collect Kiku, and he should come now. But panic laced his thoughts, and it was giving Alfred a headache because of how hard it was to get his own thoughts through.

" _I will meet you_." He murmured his inner thoughts aloud, before shaking himself away from his thoughts. "And Francis, I will return." Alfred turned to the door, taking big strides, before rushing with all of his enhanced speed. He had to find Arthur and keep him safe.

He didn't realize that the burning in his heart had at some point switched entirely from rage that his property had been threatened by another vampire- and it had transformed into fear that Arthur would be hurt because of him. The change was different, and it was small. But it was important nonetheless to Alfred's personality and view of Arthur in his life.

And he didn't yet notice the change.

XXXXX

Alfred appeared outside of Arthur's home quickly, invisible in the night air, and he saw Heracles staring at the place, before he revealed himself. "Thank you for coming." He whispered, bowing his head.

"It's Ivan, then?" Heracles murmured. "The one who has been attacking humans?"

Alfred sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why does everyone know more about what's going on here? I'm the one who lives here." He muttered, before he shook his head. "I'm going to take Arthur into my home, I have to keep him inside for a week, I won't let him wind up like Matthew-" His body felt choked at the name, but Alfred knew that he couldn't cry. "My home is safe for him, I know Ivan knows that we have a relationship…so to protect him, I'll bring him to my home."

Heracles looked uncertain and rather unimpressed. "You're going to kidnap him?" He pointed out with a frown on his face, before he stared at the home where Kiku and Arthur were unawares of how much danger they were in.

"I don't want to." Alfred admitted, his blue eyes unfortunately human as he realized if he did that, he would have to let Arthur go, since he wouldn't be able to explain away a weeklong absence of memories to Arthur, and so would be forced to let him go and fake his death. "But…"

"But nothing." Heracles shook his head. "Alfred- I value your opinion as a fellow vampire. I have since I met you- but I think in honesty that kidnapping him is not the answer. Taking him to your home, maybe, but… Ivan wants you to panic, he wants you to feel hunted, if he has already made you feel this way, then you're in bad shape. Explain to Arthur that I don't know…you're part of an international team of spies and you're under attack? That's more believable than saying you're a vampire…"

Alfred felt the wind that he didn't need get taken out of him as he realized just how unfortunately _right_ Heracles was. "Damn, you're…you're right… I've been sloppy. I left Arthur unguarded when I ran to save Matthew, and I probably was seen by countless humans…"

"You actually made the news." Heracles corrected humorously, pulling up the viral video. "You can't see your face in the video, but there are composite sketches of you that exist. Arthur undoubtedly is watching the news now, and has probably tried to call you."

He absently took out his cell phone, and saw quietly that Heracles was correct. Before he closed his eyes, and sighed, rubbing his temples after he put his phone away. "What's your plan, precisely?"

Heracles smiled, the action was unfortunately lacking meaning, considering that they were on a tight schedule for saving the unknowing humans.

He knocked on the door, and waited tensely, before Kiku opened the door, staring at Alfred and Heracles in suspicion, uncertain of their intentions.

"What is it you two need?" He asked, brown eyes guarded, staring only at Alfred and refusing to make eye contact with Heracles. Heracles' mind cried out in pain at the motion, and it bled into Alfred's mind.

"I need to speak with Arthur." Alfred cut in, sighing as he tried to keep his mind closed to Heracles' upset.

"Why?" Kiku scoffed. "So he can bring you to the police station?"

"So I can keep him safe." Alfred growled, unhappy with the accusation.

"So he can be an accessory to murder?" Kiku raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Let me speak to him." He said, blue eyes narrowed. "I didn't kill Matthew, if that's what you're thinking. I brought him to a hospital."

"They're saying you were the one who hurt him." Kiku pointed out. "You're their only lead."

"They're wrong." Alfred was exasperated. "I was here with you for the lord's sake, and I rushed to save Matthew- I…I really need to speak with Arthur. Please."

His blue eyes were tired, and Kiku's hard stare continued to meet his own, uncaring.

"No funny business." Kiku was firm. "I find it exceptionally strange that you didn't make him call his family, and this incident with Matthew just makes that look suspicious."

"My lord!" Alfred rubbed his temples. "Look! Matthew was hurt because of me, not because I did anything to him, but because he was close to me! I don't want that to happen to Arthur! And Heracles doesn't want that to happen to you!" He shouted. "I don't need to hear your paltry theory of what you think I am, I am on a limited time schedule and I refuse to watch people I care about die!" He shoved Kiku aside roughly, having Arthur's invitation, evne though every step he took into the building burn. Kiku had revoked his invitation, he absently realized, but when he heard Arthur's words he felt the pain dissipate.

"Alfred?" His voice was soft, though concerned, but still guarded. "Why don't you go to the police station, if what you say is true?" He pointed out. "I'm a police officer, certainly…certainly you can verify what you're saying…"

"The issue is this whole thing is extrajudicial…and for all the fun we made of movies, Arthur…" He sighed. "I'm a secret agent. I've been compromised. A man named Ivan Braginsky was spotted by my international organization."

"Francis Bonnefoy was my mentor, you see?" He smiled, weakly. "I had no idea that he was watching this area, and me, and that's why I called him. Heracles and I are both members. Francis is too. But Ivan Braginsky and I…well, we go way back. He tried to kill Matthew and damned well near succeeded. And now I know he's targeted people associated with me."

Arthur and Kiku were staring, in disbelief. "It's why I own such a nice house. It's why I went out of town last week. Matthew is actually my brother. 100%. I'm sorry for lying about that, but he didn't know either until very recently. And I won't see you get hurt."

As Alfred watched, pieces seemed to fall in place in Arthur's mind, and he looked down. "Oh my god." He laughed, quietly. "Alfred, why…on earth…"

"You can think whatever you want of me. You can leave me when this is all over. I don't care." He shook his head, refusing to let the pain in his heart stop him. "But I won't see you get hurt because of me. Kiku can come too. I don't care. Please. Just…let me protect you, since I'm the one who put you in danger to begin with."

He nodded, slowly. "Fine. I'll come with you." He took his gun, and put it in his shirt. "If you're lying to me, Alfred Jones…I will not hesitate to turn you into Swiss cheese." He said, voice cold. "And…I cannot lie and say that this doesn't change anything…it changes everything, Alfred. I might have to consider…your offer." He phrased it coldly, and Alfred only nodded.

"Whatever makes you happy." He said, absently, and the words felt strange in his mouth. He realized he meant it- if it made Arthur happy, he wouldn't hesitate to end it.

Heracles reached out to Kiku, but then thought better of it, closing his eyes in pain.

"Let's go." Alfred murmured, letting Kiku push Arthur as he and Heracles took the rear to watch for threats.

XXXXX

"Arthur! Mon ami!" Francis said in false exhuberance once they entered Alfred's home.

"Belt it, frog." Arthur glared flatly, as Alfred closed the door behind his party of suspicious humans and quiet vampires.

Francis shrugged, letting Alfred lead the humans to their room. It was large. "You can stay here. If you'd prefer it, I can give you a separate room, Kiku…?"

First there was nothing, and then he shook his head. "This will do." He muttered, staring apprehensively at Alfred, face showing his doubt.

"…You can come and go whenever you want." He murmured. "Just ask if you need something. I…I have business to attend to, however." He gestured absently, before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

"Heracles." Alfred murmured. "I'm so sorry."

The Greek vampire smiled quietly. "Nothing good comes of love, isn't that what we were told, Al?"

"It is indeed, what I and many others have said." Francis nodded, seeming to have softened for him, understanding the feeling of heartbrokenness. "That love amongst others never ends happily."

"I suppose if there is nothing for me here, I will arrange an exit." Heracles waved a hand. "I'll get in touch with Sadiq."

Alfred and Francis nodded, gesturing to the computer for the Greek vampire to send an email asking for a new identity and a new life, elsewhere, and for this current identity to die.

"We have much to do still, now that your errand is completed." Francis rolled his eyes. "I did say that I warned you all those years ago."

"That's what I think I feel the worst about, Francis." He muttered as they walked away from Arthur and Kiku, knowing that the humans were safe. "That you warned me about it, and it happened anyway."

"Most tragedies start by trying to avoid the sparking event, and walking right into the event that causes it all." Francis pointed out, and Alfred shook his head, going to his room, overcome by exhaustion.

XXXXX

Once the two were alone, Arthur and Kiku sighed, taking in their surroundings. "Why… on earth." Arthur laughed, the sound bleak and bereft of humor. "I knew he was too good to be true. And he was."

"At least he doesn't seem to be holding us prisoner." Kiku said, looking around. "It is a very nice home."

"Kiku, you cannot serious believe him!" Arthur glared, words sharply piercing his friend and his injured heart. "Alfred's fucking delusional! And he might kill us!"

"He would have already." Kiku pointed out. "He honestly just seems worried about you. If he wanted to kill us, he could have. He had us surrounded by 3 people."

"There's no way its true." Arthur glared.

"I had always wondered what was weird about them, and I suppose I have an explanation that works." Kiku shrugged, and Arthur glared, getting into the soft bed, and stemming his tears, refusing to cry over a liar and a maniac.

XXXXX

Somewhere in the basement of Alfred's estate, the fatal wounds healed as the vampire slumbered beneath, not yet ready to awaken, but they would be soon.

Very soon, in fact.

XXXXX

_That night, Alfred dreamt._

_First it was Arthur that was at his side, kissing him chastely while they sat in the living room of Arthur's home._

" _Do you believe in fate?" The words were from Arthur's mouth rather than Alfred's, the wound to his head strangely familiar, if less serious than…_

_The scene changed suddenly, focusing in on the head wound on the back right side, before focusing anew on a hole in the head of someone else. Green eyes were glassy and fogged, and he stumbled forward angrily._

" _Sodomite!" The man shouted into the nothingness around him, fear and anger and worry tangible_. _If Alfred hadn't learned better, he would have thought that the commodore was trying to get him to remember something._

" _You do love that word, don't you, Commodore." Alfred commented, staring at the man before him- his little "problem" from a distance, and Arthurson turned around blindly in search of him._

_James Arthurson, once a Commodore of the British Navy, had now been taken into the home of a revolutionary- Alfred F. Jones. Arthurson had always disliked him, often calling him a devil, a sodomite, and worse. He had tracked him personally down time and time over, the vampire finding him rather amusing to toy with. Because of James' rather murderous intentions for Alfred, he had never been so stupid as to let him get close enough, and had never risked finding out the truth- but…_

_The man tripped, and fell forward, arms going out wrong in a blind attempt to catch himself and leaving him in a heap on the floor, tears dripping down his face as he struggled with himself._

" _You're injured." Alfred reminded him sharply as he slowly picked him up, the ex-naval officer dazed- so much so that he allowed the prolonged contact. "Badly, need I remind you? Brain injuries are nothing to trifle with. I took you in out of the kindness of my heart and yet you treat me as though I am a monster."_

_He didn't speak, and Alfred rolled his eyes as he carried the man to the bedroom that Alfred was treating him in._

" _To be frank, I have no idea how on earth you survived all of what happened to you." Alfred admitted quietly as he tucked the human into the bed. "You survived being shot in the head, only to be drowned by your own crew as a "mercy kill." Alfred spat in bitterness. "You're blind, and surely mad, but you deserved better. You should at least have been returned to your family."_

_Alfred scoffed as Arthurson muttered madly about one thing or another. "Then again, dear James, I cannot imagine what would happen to you if you were back in England, based off what has happened so far."_

" _I will be back shortly- I need to get us food. Please do not go exploring around this place without me- the stairs might truly be your end."_

_Alfred waited a moment longer, to look and see James crying in his sleep, and though his gut told him there was more to it, he ignored the feeling._

_After all, they both needed to feed, and Alfred wasn't particularly one to want to investigate it._

_Then the scene left him, and it was Kirk Archer, the older vampire meeting Alfred and smiling at him so, so sadly. "My love, what I want, I can never have."_

_And though Alfred hadn't honed his abilities well enough to hear everything he was thinking, he could hear the disjointed thoughts of_ _**love protect no please I don't want to die, I don't want to leave you here** _ _before his elder had put up his mental shield._

_Kirk had been executed by firing squad, he had been told. Shot through the heart the lungs and lastly the brain._

_Back all the way to his very first meeting with Kirk, when Francis had stared at him and admitted that he had been planning to let him go to his own devices. Where green eyes had stared at him so longingly, as though he had meant to say something but couldn't manage to get his words out._

_And then he had left, and Alfred had asked Francis what of him-"But from what I understand…my turning of you was something that has destroyed him. He had some sort of…spell, in action, but I cannot say what it was for…"_

_"Why? How would he even know me?" Alfred whispered- utterly baffled by this as he stared into the night where the two disappeared._

_"I could not speak for him on that matter." Francis murmured. "He spoke in French for a reason, my protégé. But, for my errors, I promise to teach you all I know… truthfully, if you were a lord, it is customary to leave them on their own. That would be cruel…for if fate had been different, you would have had a partner for all of your years. However, it was not so, so I will take up in their place."_

_He had never understood what Francis had meant by the phrase, a "partner for all his years"._

_And then, before even that…_

_"Why, how are you doing, sir?" A cheerful voice that Alfred subconsciously identified as his own- though the accent was wrong- was speaking, to someone in the dirt._

_"Why are you talking with me? I'm certain you heard what they had called me." The man in the dirt didn't look at him, despite how Alfred could feel it in him that he wanted this man to look up- he had the prettiest green eyes he had ever seen._

_"They accused you of sodomy, right?" The strange, off version of his voice murmured. "Well, good thing I'm no stranger in that territory, sir." He felt his familiar smile blossoming on his face, his hand, slightly more worn down by work than Alfred's own were. "My name, sir, is Jonathon Alford. Friends call me John. And you are?"_

_Green eyes looked up to him, familiar and curious and painfully uncertain, a scruff of blonde hair a bit mussed up by the crowd that had come after him. He blinked, staring at the man as though he were confused by his willingness to talk with him, someone who had just been beaten within an inch or two of his life, before realization dawned on him, and he nodded._

_"Kirk Archer. A fellow sodomite, eh?"_

_Jonathon grinned, and reached down to help Kirk up. "It'll have to be our codename, won't it then, dear Kirk? They'd never see that coming."_

_The bewildered man guffawed at the ridiculousness of it all, but gratefully took the hand to stand up again. "My, you're awfully handsome, aren't you?" The other blonde looked him up and down. "I'm certain that the fairer sex would be awful jealous of me should we actually do this, sodomite."_

_The taller, blue-eyed blond waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Well, I suppose you suggested it first, darling." He draped his arm around Kirk's shoulder. "Take me now!"_

_Kirk laughed once more, unable to stop this time._

_He and Kirk linked arms, and the two made on their merry way._

_The memory sped forward, and Alfred didn't understand. There were things he didn't understand but he didn't…he didn't remember it and though he had been known to forget things, this was too close to him for him to have forgotten._

_He was alone for the first time in too long. He hadn't…he was sad, and he didn't know what to do with himself. His lover had been buried in a mass grave amongst common criminals. Alfred hadn't been caught, but he had the guilt filled knowledge that he had survived where he shouldn't have._

_And then things came into sudden, horrific focus._

" _Kirk!" He shouted, staring at the man, only a few years older than himself. He smiled at his lover- who he had been told had been_ _ **killed**_ _!-, laughing in disbelief as he had opened his arms to accept him even as green eyes hadn't yet met his own. He recognized green eyes and his broken form. They had put him through the runner, but he was just glad to see him alive._

" _Kirk, let's leave together! I am so happy to see you! Let's leave this wretched place." telling him they could go to the new world together, and make a new life there… Please, my love. I thought I had lost you, and I don't think I can bear the thought of it happening!"_

_Green eyes looked to him sharply, and John's smile faltered and fell. It was like Kirk didn't recognize him._

_He took a step back, frightened, but that was the end of his motion as his blood ran cold as he saw the long fangs and saw the absolute unfamiliarity in the eyes of the man he loved as Kirk launched himself at him._

_Then there was nothing, his mind filled with fear, and he heard the dreaded quiet gasp of death rather than felt it, for everything was too far away, even the sound of his own voice. "K-kirk…w-why…?"_

_There was no time left to hear his apology, the life leaving him cold even as in the last vestiges of himself he felt Kirk try to bring him closer, as he vainly tried to stop the bleeding of the only person who had ever tried for him, tried to_ _**save** _ _him even as John barely heard his words, begging him to stay._

_"Please, please my love, please don't leave me…"_

_And death was sad and filled with regret, and it was cold, and it was well and good that Alfred couldn't feel it for all that long._

_And then there was truly, nothing._

XXXXX

Alfred woke up heavily, his body cold in its eternal death.

The missing piece of the puzzle…it had always been Kirk Archer. He laughed quietly, staring down at his hands.

This whole story began with him contemplating his undead existence in a hospital the night that Arthur Kirkland had been admitted with a potentially life-threatening head wound. If Alfred had not crossed his path, then Arthur would have died without him ever knowing.

What even was his life at this point? It was a sham; a poor imitation of humanity despite how often he and others like him claimed it was superior to mortality.

Even he said that the beating of a heart was what symbolized life, and yet, he personally knew so many cases of a lifeless existence with that ticking time bomb in one's chest, in Arthurson, a man who spent his remaining years in a continual daze, unable to remember and unable to form new memories.

Just as well, there were many cases of those who lacked the necessary quality in the eyes of medical science, who- if they were put on a table and treated by doctors, would have their death certificates announced even while they were still very much speaking.

He concluded that perhaps, two things defined life: A heart and the ability to remember.

And Alfred had neither a beating heart to speak of, or the ability to clearly remember. That was how he had cursed Matthew to this existence, by not remembering. It was how he had cursed himself and Heracles, by not remembering Franc's words of warning.

He had valued Kirk so highly in the memory. Transforming Alfred as Francis had done…the spell. The pieces were all falling into place as Alfred fell apart, realizing the connections all too late to do anything about it.

He had once been a human, and that statement was true in two ways. He'd once been a human named Alfred F. Jones, and he had also been a human named Jonathon Alford. Jonathon and the then-human Kirk Archer had been in love. Something had happened, and Kirk had become a vampire. And Kirk had killed Alford. Alfred had been born, and Francis had transformed him too young, too early to consider loving the older Kirk Archer. Kirk had died, and James Arthurson had tracked Alfred down to the edges of the war, calling him what Kirk and John had once jokingly called each other. That was, of course, until he was shot clean through the head, and Alfred took him into his care.

He laughed brokenly, as he realized that he had done the same for Arthur after his not-quite-fatal brain injury.

Sadiq's laughter rang mockingly in his mind. So, he knew the truth now. Kirk had used some sort of spell to continue to bring them together, by happenstance.

That convoluted things even more, and for the second time in 24 hours, he had never more dearly wished that he could still cry and relieve his feelings of sorrow and regret.

Francis' words that he had contacted the council about Ivan and the transformation of Matthew barely reached him.

It truly seemed that knowing your fate did nothing to make your future clearer.


End file.
